Jeff Bezos Is Going To Space

It's down from Amazon and up to the heavens for Jeff Bezos, who will earn the distinction of being the first billionaire to go to space.

On July 20th, Jeff and his brother Mark Bezos will fly on a rocket created by Blue Origin, the rocket company he founded two decades ago. Bezos announced his trip on Instagram yesterday.

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A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos)

"Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of traveling to space," wrote Bezos. "On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure, with my best friend."

Online, people were less-than amused at Bezos' trip to space, as many remembered that Bezos pays an extremely low percentage of taxes.

Jeff Bezos is sending himself to space aboard Blue Origin, so yes, he can afford to pay some fucking taxes.

— Jake Lobin (@JakeLobin) June 7, 2021

Oh boy Jeff Bezos is headed to space no one cares pay your workers and taxes.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) June 7, 2021

What if instead of colonizing space Jeff Bezos stopped exploiting working people on Earth? https://t.co/Dbqp00Gpdd

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) June 7, 2021

Others had a, shall we say, more macabre reaction to the news.

Allow an Amazon delivery driver to assemble the rocket that will take Jeff Bezos into space https://t.co/VXRjXBu5s7

— Hamilton Nolan (@hamiltonnolan) June 7, 2021

would be funny if bezos went to space and aliens killed him

— raandy (@randygdub) June 7, 2021

there's a blue origin safety inspector out there who really has a unique chance to help improve the world this summer

— boringstein's monster (@noidavoider) June 7, 2021

Bezos beats out fellow billionaires Elon Musk and Richard Branson to the distinction of getting to ride one of his rockets into outer space. Musk has publically and outspokenly dreamed of going to space, and his company SpaceX has landed some cushy contracts with NASA, though several failed launches suggest Musk won't be riding his rockets to space soon. Branson's company Virgin Galactic has been working to get a rocket to space for decades and Branson may finally ride one later this year.