Kazakh entrepreneur Danna Karagusova is becoming the first woman in Central Asian history to travel into space. Her mission is regarded as a new milestone not only for Kazakhstan but for the entire region in science and technology.
According to reports, Danna will fly into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, founded by Amazon creator and billionaire Jeff Bezos. The flight is scheduled for October 2025.
The space journey will last only about 10–12 minutes. During this time, the rocket will ascend to an altitude of 100 kilometers above Earth — the boundary of outer space. Danna will be joined by five other passengers: businessman Jeff Elgin, engineer Clint Kelly III, startup founder Aaron Newman, Ukrainian entrepreneur Vitaliy Ostrovsky, and one unnamed participant. They will all experience weightlessness and view Earth from space.
The company plans to broadcast the flight live, but ticket prices remain undisclosed. It is reported that reserving a seat requires a deposit of at least $150,000, while the total cost ranges from $500,000 to $1 million.
Who is Danna Karagusova?
43-year-old Danna Karagusova, born in Almaty, is one of Kazakhstan’s most dynamic and forward-thinking businesswomen. She is known as a leading expert in marketing and digital technology.
She founded the marketing holding First Media Group and led it for many years. She has over 25 years of experience in media management and event organization.
According to Blue Origin, Karagusova is involved in innovative projects combining art, science, and technology. Recently, she has focused on the “Portals” project — an interactive platform connecting cities in real-time through live video streams.
Danna is also an accomplished mountaineer who has climbed Kilimanjaro and Elbrus. She describes space as “the next natural step in human evolution.”
Family background
Danna comes from a well-known political and scientific family. Her mother, Gulzhana Karagusova, is a former Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan and a member of the Senate.
Her brother Farhad Karagusov works in finance and is a member of the board of the Central Securities Depository and an executive at Sky Bridge Capital.
Her younger brother Roman Romanov has been a deputy of Pavlodar Region since 2016 and previously headed the company “Kazakhstan Aluminum.”
Personal life
Danna is active on social media, where she shares videos and posts about her life, travels, and career. She was previously married to blogger Beybit Alibekov, with whom she has three children.
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