NS-20 Enjoys a Happy, Beautiful, and Thankfully - Uneventful Launch

Blue Origin's postponed NS-20 flight safely launched, taking its crew of 6 into suborbital space for a brief window before returning back to Earth.  

The astronauts returned uneventfully less than 15 minutes after their launch at 09:58 am from Origin's Launch Site One in West Texas. The occasion went by somewhat unnoticed by the general public, perhaps a side effect of the loss of celebrity passengers this time around. Blue Origin's past launches have included high-profile figures like founder/owner Jeff Bezos, William Shatner, and Michael Strahan, a perfect way to build brand recognition for the exceedingly expensive experience while raking in free publicity. NS-20 was to include Saturday Night Live Alum Pete Davidson, but mission delays rendered his celebrity calendar incompatible with the launch, giving way for a replacement in the form of New Shepard architect and company man Gary Lai. 

The "crew" of fully automated NS-20 included a slate of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and executives, allowing the event to skate by without the hyperbole and paparazzi of past launches. Jim Kitchen, head of the property-development company Tricor International, obtained a record during the launch as he became the first person to ever visit all 193 countries in addition to space. To commemorate the occasion, Kitchen brought along all 10 of his previous passports so he could have the stamps from each of his journeys alongside him. His exit interview took place as he stood among the Texas scrub, where he described the view out the capsule into the depths of space as a "breathtaking", "eternal black". 

Kitchen isn't the only one to nab a small record for the history books, though any remaining 'groundbreaking' firsts are increasingly niche and incredibly specific.

Sharon and Marc Hagle became the first married cishetero couple to ever fly together on a private spacecraft (on a Thursday, so there are still at least 6 records up for grabs). Gary Lai, the chief architect for the New Shepard they all rode upon during their trip, was the only unpaid ticket on the trip, generously allowed to experience his handiwork from the customers' side of the launch pad. Lai's journey as an astronaut was an emotional one. 

"I've obviously been thinking about what this experience will be like for our astronauts, and to experience it myself was a joy," said Lai. "It was 10 times more intense than I thought it would be, or anything that I've ever experienced in my life physically, mentally, emotionally." 

FMI: www.blueorigin.com