NS-25 Punches Through The Karman Line With Six Crew Onboard

Blue Origin has successfully completed its seventh human spaceflight and the 25th flight for the New Shepard program. 

The crew included: Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, Gopi Thotakura, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the nation’s first Black astronaut candidate but never had the opportunity to fly.  

New Shepard has now flown 37 people into space, including the most recent crew. 

Each astronaut carried a postcard to space on behalf of Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future. This program gives students access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets, including an all-digital method to create and send postcards. The Club’s mission is to inspire and mobilize future generations to pursue careers in STEAM for the benefit of Earth. 

From an environmental standpoint, Blue Origin claims that nearly 99% of New Shepard’s dry mass is reused, including the booster, capsule, engine, landing gear, and parachutes. New Shepard’s engine is fueled by highly efficient liquid oxygen and hydrogen. During flight, the only byproduct is water vapor with no carbon emissions. 

“A big thank you to our astronaut customers for the opportunity to provide this life-changing experience,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard. “Each of you are pioneers helping to advance our mission to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth.”  

FMI: www.blueorigin.com