Blue Origin successful launched its New Shepard suborbital craft for its 15th test flight during the final stage of an ‘astronaut rehearsal’ – brining it one step closer to actual space tourism.
‘God speed New Shepard,’ Arian Cornell, director of astronauts and orbital sales, said over the livestream moments before the massive rocket ignited its engines and took off at roughly 12:48pm ET.
The Jeff Bezos-owned company used this mission to conduct its first astronaut operation – but no humans were inside the capsule during launch.
The rehearsal, instead, saw four Blue Origin employees complete all the tasks future space tourists will undergo for their first voyage to space.
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Blue Origin successful launched its New Shepard suborbital craft for its 15th test flight during the final stage of an ‘astronaut rehearsal’
‘Touchdown, welcome back New Shepard,’ Cornell said excitedly when the rocket booster made a safe return to the launch pad.
‘This is the smoothest landing I have seen, it almost looked like CGI.’
Blue Origin employees left the astronaut training facility around 10:30am ET, traveled to the launch pad in a black SUV and climbed up the tower to the passenger capsule.
The mock crew, however, exited the capsule moments after being strapped into their seats.
‘God speed New Shepard,’ Arian Cornell, director of astronauts and orbital sales, said over the livestream moments before the massive rocket ignited its engines and took off at roughly 12:48pm ET
The Jeff Bezos-owned company used this mission to conduct its first astronaut operation – but no humans were inside the capsule during launch. The rehearsal, instead, saw four Blue Origin employees complete all the tasks future space tourists will undergo for their first voyage to space
Although just a test, this will be the same path the first crew of Blue Origin will take before heading to the final frontier that is space.
These space faring heroes will also be paying private astronauts who are partaking in Bezos’ space tourism business.
The difference between Wednesday’s flight and future missions, is that the rocket took off without humans seated in the capsule – the only capsule was a test dummy named Mannequin Skywalker.
Blue Origin employees left the astronaut training facility around 10:30am ET, traveled to the launch pad in a black SUV and climbed up the tower to the passenger capsule
The 60-foot-tall New Shepard rocket took off from Blue Origin’s expansive desert launch site north of Van Horn, Texas.
It accomplished a vertical, rocket assisted landing at the site, which saw the booster slow down moments before landing, release its landing legs and come to a stop on the launch pad.
The capsule that rides atop New Shepard is designed to seat six passengers and is equipped with reclining seats.
The 60-foot-tall New Shepard rocket took off from Blue Origin’s expansive desert launch site north of Van Horn, Texas
The rocket took off without humans seated in the capsule – the only capsule was a test dummy named Mannequin Skywalker
Jeff Bezos shared some advice in 2017 interview for the first real passengers of Blue Origin. ‘Go to the bathroom in advance,’ Bezos said.
Each seat has its own window, which Blue Origin says are the largest to fly into space.
There are also a number of cameras placed throughout the interior, which allow travelers to share their memories that many may say are out of this world.
Although Blue Origin has yet to reveal the cost and date of the vacations to space, it plans to shoot tourists 62 miles above Earth’s surface.
At this altitude, passengers will experience weightlessness due to the zero gravity and see the curve of the planet with the darkness of space as the backdrop.
Bezos did note that passengers board 30 minutes before liftoff and shared some advice in 2017 interview.
‘Go to the bathroom in advance,’ Bezos said.
‘The whole thing, from boarding until you’re back on the ground, is probably 40 or 41 minutes. So you’re going to be fine.’
‘You could dehydrate ever so slightly if you have a weak bladder.’