Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is poised to carry passengers to the edge of space for the first time in almost two years, following a break caused by an unsuccessful uncrewed test flight. The launch, scheduled for 8:30 AM CT (9:30 AM ET) from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility, will be live-streamed on the company’s website starting at approximately 7:50 AM CT (8:50 AM ET), as reported by CNN.
The mission, designated NS-25, marks Blue Origin’s seventh crewed flight and will transport six customers: venture capitalist Mason Angel; Sylvain Chiron, founder of French craft brewery Brasserie Mont-Blanc; software engineer and entrepreneur Kenneth L. Hess; retired accountant Carol Schaller; aviator Gopi Thotakura; and Ed Dwight, a retired US Air Force captain and former astronaut candidate.
At 90, Dwight will become the oldest person to reach the edge of space. “I had no intention of being an astronaut. That was the last thing on my bucket list,” Dwight said in a National Geographic documentary. “But once I was given the challenge, then everything changes,” he added.
During the mission, the crew will experience speeds exceeding 2,000 miles per hour, more than three times the speed of sound. The rocket will propel the capsule beyond the Karman line, an area 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, considered the boundary of outer space. At the apex of the flight, passengers will experience a few minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth through the cabin windows.
This launch follows the success of an uncrewed science mission in December, the first flight since a mishap more than a year earlier.
India’s First Space Tourist
Gopichand Thotakura, an accomplished pilot and co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a holistic wellness centre in Atlanta, will become the first Indian to travel to space as a tourist. Thotakura brings extensive aviation experience, including commercial jet piloting, bush flying, aerobatics, seaplane, glider, and hot air balloon piloting. He holds a degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an MBA in aviation management from Coventry University and currently serves as the chief operating officer at Asian Infrastructure Ltd.
Meet the Other Crew Members
- Ed Dwight: Selected by President Kennedy in 1961 to train at the Aerospace Research Pilot School, Dwight was not chosen for NASA’s astronaut team despite completing the program.
- Mason Angel: Runs Industrious Ventures and supports STEM education through his family’s foundation.
- Sylvain Chiron: Founder of Brasserie Mont Blanc, and a lifelong pilot and skier.
- Kenneth L. Hess: Software engineer and entrepreneur who created Family Tree Maker.
- Carol Schaller: Retired CPA who has embraced adventure despite the possibility of going blind.
New Shepard’s 2022 Failure
In September 2022, a New Shepard rocket and spacecraft experienced a failure during a launch of science instruments. One minute into the flight, the rocket encountered Max Q, a moment of maximum stress on the vehicle. The rocket emitted a large burst of flames, prompting the capsule to initiate its launch abort system, safely separating and parachuting to a safe landing.
Blue Origin later revealed the failure was due to a problem with the engine nozzle, which failed due to higher temperatures than anticipated. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversaw an investigation, concluding that 21 corrective actions needed to be implemented before flights could resume. These included design changes to the combustion chamber and adjusted operating parameters.
With these measures in place, Blue Origin is set to return to the frontier of space tourism with its upcoming NS-25 mission.
