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
[edit on Wikidata]

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.

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

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

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.

The first passenger flew on 20 July 2021 having purchased the seat at auction for $28 million; 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.