Blue Origin, the space company owned by Jeff Bezos, successfully launched a six-person crew from West Texas to the edge of space on Sunday. This marked the resumption of its space tourism business after its New Shepard rocket was grounded in 2022.
Ed Dwight, at 90 years and eight months old, became the oldest person in space and expressed his excitement upon landing. The crew, including Mr. Dwight, was launched from Blue Origin facilities near Van Horn, Texas. The rocket separated from the capsule, allowing it to ascend further beyond Earth’s atmosphere while the booster returned to land as planned.
After a mission lasting approximately 10 minutes, the capsule returned to Earth under parachutes. However, one parachute did not fully inflate, raising potential concerns for the next flight.
Mr. Dwight, the first black astronaut candidate selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, finally fulfilled his dream of flying to space. He celebrated his achievement by thrusting his fists into the air upon landing.
Blue Origin has now flown 37 private astronauts, including William Shatner in 2021. The passengers on this particular flight were paying customers of Blue Origin’s space tourism business, with Mr. Dwight’s seat being sponsored by a nonprofit and a private foundation.
Corrective Actions
Following the grounding of New Shepard in 2022 due to a mid-flight failure, Blue Origin implemented 21 corrective actions as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The rocket’s engine nozzle structural failure during an uncrewed research mission led to the grounding.
New Shepard returned to flight in December 2023 with a successful uncrewed mission. Despite a parachute issue on the recent flight, Blue Origin deemed the mission a success.
Blue Origin’s new CEO Dave Limp, appointed by Jeff Bezos, has prioritized the resumption of New Shepard’s routine missions. The company is also focused on the development of New Glenn, a larger rocket designed to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
While Blue Origin faces competition in the suborbital space tourism industry, it is also working on speeding up the production of its BE-4 engines for future launches. The company aims to debut New Glenn by the end of the year.
Overall, Blue Origin’s successful crewed mission marks a significant milestone for the company in its pursuit of space exploration and tourism.
By Joey Roulette
