Blue Origin, the aerospace company of billionaire Jeff Bezosthat has recently focused on space travel ,successfully launched its fifth crewed mission Saturday morning, carrying six young tourists above Earth aboard the New Shepard spacecraft. The crew was carried more than 60 miles above the Earth's surface. The launch campaign was called NS-21.
The launch and landing on Saturday morning took place at Blue Origin's Launch Site One facility. The launch marked Blue Origin's fifth crewed flight and the 21st successful launch from the new platform.
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Short trips into space via New Shepard typically last 11 minutes from initial launch to landing with the capsule, using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to provide the thrust needed to propel the vehicle away from the surface.
The spacecraft capsule separated from the rocket about three minutes into the flight. Once separated, the capsule spent several minutes in microgravity, allowing travelers to see Earth from above , and crossed the Kármán line as the New Shepard booster began its descent back to Earth. The capsule eventually parachuted down, and the six tourists safely to Earth. Safe return and reuse of equipment are two of the key components of Blue Origin's overall success.
“Reusability is key to reducing the cost of accessing space for the benefit of Earth. 7th successful landing for this vehicle.” #NS21 pic.twitter.com/EQXGSITsa2
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) June 4, 2022
This flight was scheduled for May 20, but was delayed due to a problem with one of the spacecraft's backup systems.
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On this Blue Origin mission, the six-member crew included engineers and entrepreneurs from different locations. The crew also included Katya Echazarreta, a 26-year-old American who was selected and the trip was funded by Space for Humanity.
Other crew members were Evan Dick and Victor Correa Hespanha. Dick is a former senior investment manager and executive at Dick Holdings, LLC. Hespanha, 28, who became the first Brazilian space tourist, was funded by the Crypto Space Agency, an organization that hopes to increase the potential of space travel through innovation and the financial power of the cryptocurrency market.
We don't know exactly how much a ticket to space with Blue Origin costs, but judging by previously reported prices for rival company Virgin Galactic (over $450,000), such a trip to low Earth orbit is unlikely for the average citizen.
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However, Blue Origin is a leading player in the nascent space tourism market.
Jeff Bezos himself participated in his company's first manned mission last summer, while Star Trek star William Shatner has also traveled with his spacecraft .
Source: www.techspot.com
