‘First Cypriot man in space’ will have to wait a bit more to travel the cosmos

The journey of Adonis Pouroulis, set to become the first person of Cypriot-origin to travel into space, has been delayed after Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission was scrubbed during its final launch sequence on Thursday.

The 57-year-old businessman, who resides in London but maintains roots in Paphos, was scheduled to lift off from West Texas alongside five crewmates, including the first wheelchair user to reach the edge of space.

The launch was halted at T-58 seconds due to a technical issue with pre-flight checks, following an earlier delay caused by high-altitude winds.

Pouroulis is an entrepreneur in the international energy and natural resources sectors. Born into the second generation of the Cypriot diaspora in South Africa, he is the son of the late Loukas Pouroulis, who founded the Salene Mining group in 1964.

As a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and mining engineer, Adonis Pouroulis brings over 30 years of experience in the natural resources and energy sector with a strong focus on critical minerals, metals, and sustainable energy solutions across Africa and beyond. He is the founder… pic.twitter.com/0nnuFX8MS6

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) December 18, 2025

Adonis Pouroulis has spent over 30 years building a large investment portfolio. He is the founder and chairman of several major firms, including Petra Diamonds, which he listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1997, and Chariot Energy Group. His expertise spans the extraction of diamonds, gold, and rare earth minerals across Africa, as well as significant investments in transitional energy and green hydrogen projects.

While Blue Origin has famously remained secretive regarding its exact pricing structure, industry estimates suggest that a seat on the New Shepard capsule typically costs between €235,000 to €470,000, though some seats on early flights have been auctioned for millions of dollars. The company has not officially disclosed the specific fee paid by the NS-37 crew members for this mission.

The NS-37 mission will be the 37th flight of the New Shepard rocket. When the technical issues are resolved, the suborbital flight will offer the crew approximately 10 minutes of travel, including several minutes of weightlessness and views of the Earth’s curvature before the capsule returns for a controlled parachute landing.