New Shepard

New Shepard
suborbital rocket developed by Blue Origin
Has use
ManufacturerBlue Origin
Country of originUnited States of America
Size
Height18m (60ft)
Diameter3.7m (12.1ft)
Mass75t (officially)
~40t (estimated)
Stages1
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesLaunch Site One
Total launches24
Success(es)23
Failure(s)1
Landings22
First flight29 April 2015; 11 years ago
Last flight19 December 2023
Single stage
Height
  • 18 metre Edit this on Wikidata
Diameter
  • 3.6 metre Edit this on Wikidata
Powered by1 BE-3
Maximum thrust490 kN (110,000 lbf)
Burn time141 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX

New Shepard is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL), crew-rated suborbital launch vehicle created by Blue Origin as a way to boost space tourism.[1]

In 2021, the first fully automated spaceflight with civilian passengers, was launched with a New Shepard rocket.[2]

The name New Shepard is named after the first American astronaut in space, Alan Shepard, one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts.[3]

As of 2023's fourth quarter, the last flight with a crew, was done in August 2022.

History

Blue Origin planned its first crewed test flight - Blue Origin NS-16 - to occur in 2019, which was however delayed until 2021.[4]

The first passenger flew on 20 July 2021 having purchased the seat at auction for $28 million;[5] however, this auction passenger later dropped out and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen was selected to fly.

References

  1. ↑ Doug Mohney (7 May 2015). "Will Jeff Bezos Speed Past Virgin Galactic to Tourist Space?". TechZone360.
  2. ↑ Howell, Elizabeth (18 July 2021). "Blue Origin launch will be the 1st fully automated flight with civilian astronauts: report". Space.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ↑ Jonathan Amos (30 April 2015). "Jeff Bezos conducts New Shepard flight". BBC.
  4. ↑ Chris Bergin, NASASpaceflight.com, 28 November 2018
  5. ↑ "$28M is winning bid for seat aboard Blue Origin's 1st human space flight". ABC News. 12 June 2021.