‘I’d still do it again in a heartbeat:’ Melbourne Blue Origin passenger reacts to in-flight abort
Steve Young, the owner of Pineapples restaurant in Melbourne, rocketed to zero-gravity in August and said that even after Monday's failure for Blue Origin, the businessman is still confident the New Shepard is safe.
Blue Origin launches capsule to space with astronaut perks
In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the company's New Shepard rocket lands after a test flight in West Texas on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (Blue Origin via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company launched a new capsule into space Thursday to test all the astronaut perks before people strap in. Thursday’s flight with a dummy named Mannequin Skywalker lasted 10 minutes and reached 66 miles (106 kilometers) above West Texas. Both the New Shepard rocket and the capsule landed successfully. It was the 14th flight to the fringes of space for a New Shepard rocket.
Blue Origin ‘getting close’ to human spaceflight with 14th test flight
Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket and capsule launch from the company's west Texas launch site on Jan. 14, 2021 marking the 14th suborbital flight for the company. (Image: Blue Origin)Blue Origin says it’s nearing its first human spaceflight with the company’s upcoming test flight from West Texas on Thursday. “We’re getting really close to flying humans, we’re getting there,” Blue Origin director of astronaut and orbital sales Ariane Cornwell said after the launch. While no humans were onboard the capsule, the company’s test dummy, Mannequin Skywalker will be in one of the six astronaut seats. Blue Origin is also developing a much larger heavy lift rocket called New Glenn that will launch from Cape Canaveral.
NASA moon-landing tech hitches ride to space on Bezos rocket
The sensors and computer — tested during the booster’s descent and touchdown — will hitch another suborbital ride with Blue Origin. Led by Amazon founder Bezos, Washington state-based Blue Origin is leading a team of companies to develop a lunar lander for astronauts. Tuesday’s launch was the first in nearly a year for Blue Origin: The pandemic stalled operations. Blue Origin said its staff is maintaining social distancing and taking other safety measures. Blue Origin said it needs a couple more flights before launching people — tourists, scientists and professional astronauts — on short hops.
Blue Origin readies for first New Shepard flight in months to test moon landing tech
Blue Origin is preparing to launch its New Shepard rocket to the edge of space from the company’s West Texas launch site, marking the seventh consecutive flight for this launch vehicle. Blue Origin last launched New Shepard in December. The first launch in nine months comes amid the coronavirus pandemic, as well as more testing and growth at Blue Origin. On this flight, Blue Origin’s rocket will carry technology for NASA designed to enable future moon landings. ET Thursday but after a short weather delay, Blue Origin scrubbed the launch attempt due to a power supply issue for the experiments on board.