Owolabi Salis Becomes First Nigerian to Travel to Space

Chief Owolabi Salis, a US.-based Nigerian lawyer, politician, and spiritual leader, has etched his name into the history books as the first Nigerian to travel to space, following a successful launch aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 human spaceflight mission.

The historic suborbital flight took off from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site on Sunday, June 29, 2025. The six-person crew—which included Salis, Allie and Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., and Jim Sitkin—soared past the internationally recognised boundary of space, the Kármán line, reaching an altitude of 105.2 km (345,044 feet).

Dubbed “The Solstice 33″—a nod to their originally scheduled June 21 launch—the NS-33 mission delivered a 10-minute journey of breathtaking Earth views and brief weightlessness, before safely returning to Earth. Both the RSS Kármán Line crew capsule and the Tail 5 propulsion module landed smoothly near the launch pad, completing a flawless flight.

For Owolabi Salis, who hails from Ikorodu, Lagos, the mission was deeply personal and symbolic. “This mission is more than just a trip into space, it’s a spiritual journey, a call to inspire future generations,” he said before liftoff. A long-time advocate for youth empowerment and grassroots development, Owolabi Salis hopes his journey will spark wider interest in science and space exploration among young Africans.

His flight marks a monumental step forward not only for Nigeria, but for the entire African continent, signifying a growing presence in global space initiatives. The news of his safe return triggered a wave of celebration back home, where many have hailed him as a national hero.

With NS-33, Blue Origin has now flown 123 people on suborbital missions, according to the Association of Space Explorers. The mission patch featured green rings representing Earth’s horizon and the Kármán line—emblems of humanity’s constant pursuit of discovery.

Blue Origin continues to lead the commercial spaceflight sector with its New Shepard programme, advancing the possibilities of reusable rocket technology, space tourism, and citizen astronaut missions. As Africa’s footprint in space exploration begins to emerge, Owolabi Salis’ journey could become a defining moment—inspiring a new generation of African space dreamers and marking the dawn of greater inclusivity in the final frontier.