Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin plans space sightseeing jaunt for July

New Shepard rocket-and-capsule combo aims to fly six passengers 62 miles above Earth into space

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos's rocket company, aims to launch its first suborbital sightseeing trip on its New Shepard spacecraft on 20 July, a moment that could usher in an era of private commercial space travel.

Blue Origin also said it would offer one seat on the first flight to the winning bidder of a five-week online auction, the proceeds of which will be donated to the space firm's foundation.