A pilot who safely flew to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepherd spacecraft a month ago is now dead after crashing a small plane in New Jersey.

Glen de Vries, 49, was an American businessman and co-founder of Medidata Solutions who blasted off for space last month alongside actor William Shatner and two others aboard Jeff Bezos’ company’s spacecraft.

The Blue Origin flight lasted approximately 11 minutes and brought de Vries and the other crewmembers 60 miles above Earth, where they became weightless for around 4 minutes before plummeting back home.

New Jersey State Police said they responded to a report of a small plane crash in Hampton Township in Sussex County on Thursday, where they found two victims – de Vries, and Thomas Fisher, 54, of Hopatcong, New York.

“We are devastated to hear of the sudden passing of Glen de Vries,” Blue Origin said in a statement. “He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and to his fellow crewmates. His passion for aviation, his charitable work, and his dedication to his craft will long be revered and admired.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)