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Blue Origin ’s New Shepard projectile will take a bunch to subocular space for the first time in nearly two years after this month , the company harbinger on Tuesday .
The NS-25 mission will launch from Blue ’s launch site in West Texas on May 19 . The launch window open at 8:30 a.m. The six - mortal crew includes Ed Dwight , the first shameful spaceman nominee ( but for whom this would be the first visit to blank space ) , along with investor Mason Angel , who founded the space- and defense reaction - focused Industrious Ventures .
This launching comes after a almost two - class interlude following the NS-22 mission in August 2022 . The long pause in launches come after a payload - only mission a calendar month after NS-22 have an anomalousness , which actuate the capsule ’s abort arrangement around a moment after lift - off . While the abridgment parachuted to safety , the booster was lost .
After such mishaps , it ’s common practice for the Federal Aviation Administration to open an probe . ( These investigations are but oversee by the FAA , but carry by the company . ) In March 2023 , Blue Origin state the anomaly was due to the rocket engine ’s BE-3PM engine run hotter than foretell ; that lead to catastrophic thermal damage to the engine nozzle .
However , it took the FAA another six months toformally close down the investigation . The FAA further said that it and Blue Origin had identified 21 disciplinal action to be put through prior to New Shepard ’s next mission . That missionary post lastly took place in December 2023 , when New Shepardsuccessfully carried 33 payloadsto suborbital quad . By diligence standard , it was a relatively long delay , and Blue Origin has never complicate on the movement .
New Shepard is the Jeff Bezos - backed troupe ’s only operational rocket . As the mission name suggests , it has fly 24 time since 2015 , with the 25th being the seventh with man on control board . Blue Origin is also developing a heavy - lift rocket yell New Glenn , a lunar lander prognosticate Blue Moon ( a rendering of which is under a multibillion - dollar contract with NASA ) and a manoeuvrable spacecraft call Blue Ring .
