WITHOUT BLOWING UP!
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches and lands rocket New Shepard, as it prepares to launch peopleMichael Sheetz
4/14/2021
Jeff Bezos' private space company Blue Origin launched and landed the fifteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Wednesday.
Known as NS-15, the mission launched from Blue Origin's private facility in West Texas and marks a "verification step" for the rocket and capsule before flying people, the company said.
The mission reached 348,753 feet altitude, Blue Origin said – or about 106 kilometers, above the internationally recognized boundary of space.
Jeff Bezos' private space company Blue Origin launched and landed the fifteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Wednesday.
Known as NS-15, the mission launched from Blue Origin's private facility in West Texas and marks a "verification step" for the rocket and capsule before flying people, the company said.
The mission reached 348,753 feet altitude, Blue Origin said – or about 106 kilometers, above the internationally recognized boundary of space.
© Provided by CNBC A New Shepard rocket launches on a test flight.
Jeff Bezos' private space company Blue Origin launched and landed the fifteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Wednesday.
The mission did not have passengers on board, although the capsule on top of the rocket is designed to carry as many as six people for future flights. Known as NS-15, the mission launched from Blue Origin's private facility in West Texas and marks a "verification step" for the rocket and capsule before flying people, the company said.
New Shepard is designed to carrying people on a ride past the edge of space, with the capsules on previous test flights reaching an altitude of more than 340,000 feet (or more than 100 kilometers). The capsule spends as much as 10 minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth, with massive windows to give passengers a view.
The mission on Wednesday reached 348,753 feet altitude, Blue Origin said – or about 106 kilometers, above the internationally recognized boundary of space.
NS-15 is expected to represent the second of two "stable configuration" test flights, CNBC reported in January, after the NS-14 mission featured the debut of a new rocket booster and upgraded capsule. While Blue Origin has only said that the first crewed flights will be "soon," sources told CNBC in January that the company's leadership hopes to launch its first crew on the NS-16 mission.
The company confirmed CNBC's reporting that NS-15 would feature a test of loading and unloading the crew. Blue Origin called this an "astronaut operational exercise," a key step in preparing for launching passengers.
"The primary operations will entail Blue Origin personnel standing in as astronauts entering into the capsule prior to launch. These astronauts will climb the launch tower, get into their seats, buckle their harnesses, and conduct a communications check from their seat with CAPCOM, the Capsule Communicator. The tower operations team will prepare the capsule cabin for launch and then briefly close the capsule hatch. The astronauts will then exit the capsule prior to launch," the company said in a blog post.
Jeff Bezos' private space company Blue Origin launched and landed the fifteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Wednesday.
The mission did not have passengers on board, although the capsule on top of the rocket is designed to carry as many as six people for future flights. Known as NS-15, the mission launched from Blue Origin's private facility in West Texas and marks a "verification step" for the rocket and capsule before flying people, the company said.
New Shepard is designed to carrying people on a ride past the edge of space, with the capsules on previous test flights reaching an altitude of more than 340,000 feet (or more than 100 kilometers). The capsule spends as much as 10 minutes in zero gravity before returning to Earth, with massive windows to give passengers a view.
The mission on Wednesday reached 348,753 feet altitude, Blue Origin said – or about 106 kilometers, above the internationally recognized boundary of space.
NS-15 is expected to represent the second of two "stable configuration" test flights, CNBC reported in January, after the NS-14 mission featured the debut of a new rocket booster and upgraded capsule. While Blue Origin has only said that the first crewed flights will be "soon," sources told CNBC in January that the company's leadership hopes to launch its first crew on the NS-16 mission.
The company confirmed CNBC's reporting that NS-15 would feature a test of loading and unloading the crew. Blue Origin called this an "astronaut operational exercise," a key step in preparing for launching passengers.
"The primary operations will entail Blue Origin personnel standing in as astronauts entering into the capsule prior to launch. These astronauts will climb the launch tower, get into their seats, buckle their harnesses, and conduct a communications check from their seat with CAPCOM, the Capsule Communicator. The tower operations team will prepare the capsule cabin for launch and then briefly close the capsule hatch. The astronauts will then exit the capsule prior to launch," the company said in a blog post.
© Provided by CNBC Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos opens the capsule of the new Shepard Rocket after a launch.
After the capsule lands, Blue Origin said its personnel will re-enter the capsule to rehearse opening the hatch and exiting the spacecraft.
After the capsule lands, Blue Origin said its personnel will re-enter the capsule to rehearse opening the hatch and exiting the spacecraft.
Blue Origin rocket passes latest test, sets path for crewed space launches
Eric Mack
Eric Mack
CNET
4/14/2021
© Blue Origin
Blue Origin's crew capsule after a safe landing with Mannequin Skywalker inside.
Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, performed another test flight of its New Shepard rocket Wednesday, bringing it closer to flying humans to space in a very tangible way.
The 15th launch of New Shepard, dubbed NS-15, started with humans inside the crew capsule, although none of them actually flew on the mission.
On Wednesday morning, Blue Origin went through the motions of driving astronaut stand-ins for the day from its training facility down to the launch pad. There they paused for a photo in front of New Shepard and then climbed the tower and loaded into the capsule.
Audrey Powers, Blue Origin vice president for legal, and engineer Gary Lai, who is responsible for helping lead the design of New Shepard, climbed into the capsule, buckled in and performed a communications check with mission control. The hatch was closed but not latched, as after a few minutes everyone but a dummy named Mannequin Skywalker exited the capsule and departed the landing pad.
Then a long wait ensued. A series of holds that appeared to be related to winds and other weather conditions delayed liftoff of NS-15 until flames finally emerged from the bottom end of the booster at 9:50 a.m. PT (11:50 a.m. PT).
New Shepard then blasted off to the edge of space as the company has successfully done 14 times already. The capsule separated from the rocket booster and continued to climb to a height of 66 miles (106 kilometers) while the booster came in for a successful vertical landing. A few minutes later, the capsule made a soft landing in the west Texas desert with the aid of parachutes. The whole process took just over 10 minutes.
Later, the designated astronauts for the day were set to again get inside the capsule and rehearse opening the hatch and exiting.
Wednesday's mission follows a successful launch and landing in January that included the latest version of the crew capsule, which is identical or at least very close to the one the company's first paying customers will use.
During the pre-launch livestream, Blue Origin's Ariane Cornell provided a little more insight into what the New Shepard flight experience will be like for the company's future paying customers. Those civilian astronauts will arrive at the company's facility in west Texas three days before their flight. They will go through flight training and a dress rehearsal of the launch process before finally climbing into the capsule for the real thing.
The highlight comes a few minutes after launch when the New Shepard capsule separates from the booster and continues to climb. At maximum altitude, passengers will experience three minutes of weightlessness before buckling back in and descending for a soft landing about two miles from the launch pad.
Five years into its testing program, it's not clear when those first commercial flights will happen. The company is calling NS-15 a critical "verification step" prior to flying astronauts.
Blue Origin's crew capsule after a safe landing with Mannequin Skywalker inside.
Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, performed another test flight of its New Shepard rocket Wednesday, bringing it closer to flying humans to space in a very tangible way.
The 15th launch of New Shepard, dubbed NS-15, started with humans inside the crew capsule, although none of them actually flew on the mission.
On Wednesday morning, Blue Origin went through the motions of driving astronaut stand-ins for the day from its training facility down to the launch pad. There they paused for a photo in front of New Shepard and then climbed the tower and loaded into the capsule.
Audrey Powers, Blue Origin vice president for legal, and engineer Gary Lai, who is responsible for helping lead the design of New Shepard, climbed into the capsule, buckled in and performed a communications check with mission control. The hatch was closed but not latched, as after a few minutes everyone but a dummy named Mannequin Skywalker exited the capsule and departed the landing pad.
Then a long wait ensued. A series of holds that appeared to be related to winds and other weather conditions delayed liftoff of NS-15 until flames finally emerged from the bottom end of the booster at 9:50 a.m. PT (11:50 a.m. PT).
New Shepard then blasted off to the edge of space as the company has successfully done 14 times already. The capsule separated from the rocket booster and continued to climb to a height of 66 miles (106 kilometers) while the booster came in for a successful vertical landing. A few minutes later, the capsule made a soft landing in the west Texas desert with the aid of parachutes. The whole process took just over 10 minutes.
Later, the designated astronauts for the day were set to again get inside the capsule and rehearse opening the hatch and exiting.
Wednesday's mission follows a successful launch and landing in January that included the latest version of the crew capsule, which is identical or at least very close to the one the company's first paying customers will use.
During the pre-launch livestream, Blue Origin's Ariane Cornell provided a little more insight into what the New Shepard flight experience will be like for the company's future paying customers. Those civilian astronauts will arrive at the company's facility in west Texas three days before their flight. They will go through flight training and a dress rehearsal of the launch process before finally climbing into the capsule for the real thing.
The highlight comes a few minutes after launch when the New Shepard capsule separates from the booster and continues to climb. At maximum altitude, passengers will experience three minutes of weightlessness before buckling back in and descending for a soft landing about two miles from the launch pad.
Five years into its testing program, it's not clear when those first commercial flights will happen. The company is calling NS-15 a critical "verification step" prior to flying astronauts.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin moves closer to passenger launches
William Harwood
NASA, the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration consider 50 miles to be the dividing line between space and the discernible atmosphere while the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, an international governing body for aviation-related sports and records, puts the threshold at 100 kilometers, or 62 miles.
The New Shepard capsule routinely exceeds both of those standards.
The launching marked the 15th flight of a New Shepard rocket and capsule since the program's maiden flight six years ago and the second flight of the first Blue Origin booster and capsule dedicated to upcoming commercial astronaut missions.
New Shepard is a strictly suborbital rocket and spacecraft that is not capable of achieving the velocities required to reach orbit. It will compete with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic suborbital spaceplane for commercial passengers and payloads.
But Blue Origin is developing orbit-class New Glenn rockets that will use a powerful new company-designed engine, the BE-4, to help boost large satellites into orbit. The company has built a huge rocket factory just outside the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to manufacture the rockets and is developing a launch complex at the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The company also is leading a team, one of three, designing a moon lander to carry astronauts to and from the lunar surface in NASA's Artemis program. NASA is expected to award contracts to one and possibly two teams over the next few weeks.
William Harwood
CBS NEWS
4/14/2021
Taking another step toward sending passengers into space, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched an unpiloted New Shepard capsule on a suborbital test flight Wednesday, using astronaut stand-ins before takeoff and after landing to rehearse boarding and egress procedures.
Taking another step toward sending passengers into space, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched an unpiloted New Shepard capsule on a suborbital test flight Wednesday, using astronaut stand-ins before takeoff and after landing to rehearse boarding and egress procedures.
© Blue Origin 041421-launch2.jpg
The company has not yet announced when it plans its first launch with passengers on board or how much tickets might cost. But after 15 unpiloted test flights, the system appears to be on the verge of commercial operations, giving six passengers at a time a few minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this-world view.
"We're getting very close to sending people up to space and back," said launch commentator Ariane Cornell
The company has not yet announced when it plans its first launch with passengers on board or how much tickets might cost. But after 15 unpiloted test flights, the system appears to be on the verge of commercial operations, giving six passengers at a time a few minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this-world view.
"We're getting very close to sending people up to space and back," said launch commentator Ariane Cornell
.
© Provided by CBS News Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket blasts off from the company's West Texas launch site, kicking off an unpiloted suborbital test flight. / Credit: Blue Origin webcast
To help pave the way, company personnel walked up the launch gantry before liftoff and strapped in aboard the New Shepard capsule just as paying customers will do for an actual flight. The stand-ins tested their communications gear and reviewed launch procedures before exiting to clear the pad for flight.
Wednesday's flight began at 12:51 p.m. ET when the New Shepard rocket's hydrogen-fueled BE-3 engine ignited with a rush of flaming exhaust at Blue Origin's remote Van Horn, Texas, flight test facility.
The stubby rocket quickly climbed away from Launch Site One, steadily accelerating as it consumed propellants and lost weight, reaching a maximum velocity of 2,247 mph before releasing the crew capsule about two minutes and 40 seconds after liftoff.
The capsule then soared to an altitude of 66 miles (348,753 feet), well above the 50-mile-high lower "boundary" of space, before beginning the long plunge back to Earth. Inside, an instrumented test dummy — Mannequin Skywalker — experienced three to five minutes of microgravity before atmospheric deceleration forces set in.
To help pave the way, company personnel walked up the launch gantry before liftoff and strapped in aboard the New Shepard capsule just as paying customers will do for an actual flight. The stand-ins tested their communications gear and reviewed launch procedures before exiting to clear the pad for flight.
Wednesday's flight began at 12:51 p.m. ET when the New Shepard rocket's hydrogen-fueled BE-3 engine ignited with a rush of flaming exhaust at Blue Origin's remote Van Horn, Texas, flight test facility.
The stubby rocket quickly climbed away from Launch Site One, steadily accelerating as it consumed propellants and lost weight, reaching a maximum velocity of 2,247 mph before releasing the crew capsule about two minutes and 40 seconds after liftoff.
The capsule then soared to an altitude of 66 miles (348,753 feet), well above the 50-mile-high lower "boundary" of space, before beginning the long plunge back to Earth. Inside, an instrumented test dummy — Mannequin Skywalker — experienced three to five minutes of microgravity before atmospheric deceleration forces set in.
PICTURE PERFECT NO GO BOOM
© Provided by CBS News The New Shepard booster executes a picture-perfect landing after propelling an unpiloted crew capsule to an altitude of 66 miles. / Credit: Blue Origin webcast
The New Shepard booster, meanwhile, homed in on its landing pad, restarting its engine and deploying four short landing legs before settling to an on-target touchdown. The capsule floated to a relatively gentle landing a short distance away, slowed as usual by three large parachutes.
After touchdown, the astronaut stand-ins were expected to re-enter the capsule and rehearse the same post-landing procedures commercial crews will use after their flights.
The New Shepard system is designed to carry space tourists, government and civilian researchers and a variety of payloads to altitudes just above the discernible atmosphere, providing a few minutes of microgravity, along with panoramic views through six large windows.
The New Shepard booster, meanwhile, homed in on its landing pad, restarting its engine and deploying four short landing legs before settling to an on-target touchdown. The capsule floated to a relatively gentle landing a short distance away, slowed as usual by three large parachutes.
After touchdown, the astronaut stand-ins were expected to re-enter the capsule and rehearse the same post-landing procedures commercial crews will use after their flights.
The New Shepard system is designed to carry space tourists, government and civilian researchers and a variety of payloads to altitudes just above the discernible atmosphere, providing a few minutes of microgravity, along with panoramic views through six large windows.
© Provided by CBS News The Blue Origin crew capsule, carrying an instrumented test dummy, settles toward touchdown to wrap up a sucessful test flight. / Credit: Blue Origin webcast
NASA, the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration consider 50 miles to be the dividing line between space and the discernible atmosphere while the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, an international governing body for aviation-related sports and records, puts the threshold at 100 kilometers, or 62 miles.
The New Shepard capsule routinely exceeds both of those standards.
The launching marked the 15th flight of a New Shepard rocket and capsule since the program's maiden flight six years ago and the second flight of the first Blue Origin booster and capsule dedicated to upcoming commercial astronaut missions.
New Shepard is a strictly suborbital rocket and spacecraft that is not capable of achieving the velocities required to reach orbit. It will compete with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic suborbital spaceplane for commercial passengers and payloads.
But Blue Origin is developing orbit-class New Glenn rockets that will use a powerful new company-designed engine, the BE-4, to help boost large satellites into orbit. The company has built a huge rocket factory just outside the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to manufacture the rockets and is developing a launch complex at the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The company also is leading a team, one of three, designing a moon lander to carry astronauts to and from the lunar surface in NASA's Artemis program. NASA is expected to award contracts to one and possibly two teams over the next few weeks.
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