Van Horn, Texas – Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is set to launch passengers to the edge of space, ending a two-year hiatus after a failed uncrewed test flight. The NS-20 mission, the company’s fourth crewed spaceflight, will carry six customers aboard the capsule, including a retired US Air Force captain and French craft brewery founder. Among them is Ed Dwight, a 90-year-old retired captain who was once selected by President John F. Kennedy as the nation’s first Black astronaut candidate.
Dwight, who didn’t make the NASA Astronaut Corps despite completing training, will finally fulfill his space journey as the oldest person to venture into such heights. During the mission, passengers will experience weightlessness and stunning views of Earth through the cabin windows as the rocket vaults the capsule past the Kármán line, signifying the start of outer space.
Following a successful uncrewed science mission in December, Blue Origin addressed and fixed the issue that led to the failed test flight. To ensure safety, the company made design changes to the combustion chamber and adjusted operating parameters. The Federal Aviation Administration conducted an investigation, culminating in 21 corrective actions required for Blue Origin to resume flights.
The rocket fix and the successful December flight paved the way for Blue Origin to restart its space tourism program. Before the setback in September 2022, New Shepard rockets had completed 22 successful missions, including ones with passengers like Jeff Bezos and William Shatner. The company’s emphasis on safety, highlighted by the jettison system that safely aborted the previous flight, reinforces the commitment to making space travel as safe as possible.
With the NS-25 mission marking a significant milestone for Blue Origin, the company aims to continue pushing the boundaries of space exploration while prioritizing passenger safety and well-being. The journey towards the edge of space for Dwight and his fellow space tourists symbolizes not just a personal achievement, but a technological marvel of human ingenuity and perseverance in the pursuit of space exploration.