Victor Hespanha: The Everyday Engineer Who Ignited a Movement for Inclusive Space Exploration

On June 4th, 2022, SERA took its first steps towards making space accessible to all. As Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-21 crew soared past the Kármán Line, Victor Hespanha, a 28-year-old civil engineer from Brazil, became SERA's first astronaut. His journey exemplifies the organization's vision of a spacefaring future where anyone, regardless of their background, can reach for the stars.

Victor's Leap of Faith

Just two months before his historic flight, Victor was unaware of SERA's existence. Like many, he harbored a lifelong dream of space travel, but saw it as an impossible aspiration. A chance encounter with a friend who shared news of SERA's program changed everything. Victor, drawn to the organization's unique approach, decided to join the SERA community.

From Dream to Reality

Weeks later, Victor was randomly selected from the SERA community to become its first astronaut, turning his childhood dream into reality. His journey to space on June 4th, 2022, not only made him Brazil's second astronaut but also a national hero.

Victor is greeted by his wife Marcela upon his return from space

The overwhelming public response underscored the power of his story, inspiring countless young people and igniting conversations about the future of space exploration in Brazil.

Paying it Forward

Victor's experience transformed him into a passionate advocate for accessible spaceflight. He now dedicates his time to SERA, working to ensure that others can experience the wonder of space travel. His journey serves as a living testament to SERA's belief that space belongs to everyone.

SERA's Vision Takes Flight

Inspired by Victor's flight and its profound impact, SERA embarked on an ambitious mission: to create a human spaceflight program open to everyday citizens worldwide, particularly from regions with limited astronaut representation. The program's cornerstone is public participation, allowing anyone to apply and vote for the final crew. SERA's collaboration with Blue Origin exemplifies this vision, leveraging the New Shepard to make spaceflight a reality for a diverse global community.

The New Shepard opens up space to all…

Building an Inclusive Space Future

• Over the past year, SERA has forged partnerships with space agencies, community organizations, and research institutions to build a platform that puts the public in charge of its own spaceflight. From the space research competition allowing the community to propose and select onboard experiments
• SERA's Research
• to regionalized voting protocols and media opportunities for astronaut selection,
• SERA's Astronauts
• , SERA believes the only way to create a truly inclusive space future is to empower our community to chart its own course among the stars.

Victor Hespanha's remarkable journey, from an everyday engineer to a space pioneer, symbolizes the transformative power of accessible spaceflight. His story, along with SERA's ongoing initiatives, is paving the way for a future where space exploration is not just a privilege for a select few, but a shared global endeavour.