Mission Flew Six, Including a Partially Anonymous Crewmember, to Space

Blue Origin’s latest New Shepard flight added six more names to its growing list of suborbital space travelers—well, five names and one somewhat preserved secret. The NS-30 mission launched from West Texas at 9:49 am and lasted just under ten minutes.

The flight followed the company’s now well-practiced formula: a hydrogen-fueled booster propelled the capsule skyward before separating, allowing the crew a few weightless moments. The booster then made its autonomous landing while the capsule deployed its parachutes and drifted back down to the Texas desert. This process has been repeated across 30 total New Shepard missions, with today’s flight bringing Blue Origin’s tally of human spacefliers to 52—including four who have flown twice.

The passenger list included hedge fund partner Tushar Shah, fertility clinic founder Richard Scott, media entrepreneur Elaine Chia Hyde, and Spanish TV host Jesús Calleja, who was so moved by the experience that he apologized for tearing up post-flight. Venture capitalist Lane Bess returned for his second trip, proving that space tourism is indeed a repeatable luxury.

And then, of course, there was the crew member who opted for partial anonymity. Despite Blue Origin’s silence on the matter, the name "R. Wilson” was stitched onto his flight suit and the mission patch—subtle. Internet sleuths quickly linked him to Russell Wilson, an Australian cryptocurrency mogul. Blue Origin and his alleged company, CoinSpot, have yet to confirm the connection.

Staying away from the drama and conspiracy, the aerospace giant remained focused on celebrating its latest milestone.

“There’s nothing like seeing the diversity among our crews, and this mission brought together people from all over the world — scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs and adventurers,” stated Phil Joyce, Blue Origin’s senior vice president for the New Shepard project. “It’s always inspiring to hear their unique perspectives about the life-changing impact of seeing Earth from space.”

New Shepard continues to serve as a revenue-generating joyride while Blue Origin pushes forward with larger ambitions. The company recently launched its orbital-class New Glenn rocket, is developing the Blue Moon lunar lander, and remains involved in the Orbital Reef space station project.

FMI: www.blueorigin.com