New Shepard
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.[1]
| Manufacturer | Blue Origin |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States of America |
| Size | |
| Height | 18m (60ft) |
| Diameter | 3.7m (12.1ft) |
| Mass | 75t (officially) ~40t (estimated) |
| Stages | 1 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Launch Site One |
| Total launches | 24 |
| Successes | 23 |
| Failures | 1 |
| Landings | 22 |
| First flight | 29 April 2015; 11 years ago |
| Last flight | 19 December 2023 |
| Single stage | |
| Engines | 1 BE-3 |
| Thrust | 490 kN (110,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | 141 seconds |
| Fuel | LH2 / LOX |
In 2021, the first fully automated spaceflight with civilian passengers, was launched with a New Shepard rocket.[2]
The name New Shepard is named after the first American astronaut in space, Alan Shepard, one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts.[3]
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.[4]
The first passenger flew on 20 July 2021 having purchased the seat at auction for $28 million;[5] however, this auction passenger later dropped out and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen was selected to fly.
New Shepard Media
The New Shepard Crew Capsule after a successful sub-orbital space flight.
Mock-up of the New Shepard capsule at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2017
References
- ↑ Doug Mohney (7 May 2015). Will Jeff Bezos Speed Past Virgin Galactic to Tourist Space?. TechZone360. http://www.techzone360.com/topics/techzone/articles/2015/05/07/403021-will-jeff-bezos-speed-past-virg-galactic-tourist.htm.
- ↑ Howell, Elizabeth. Blue Origin launch will be the 1st fully automated flight with civilian astronauts: report (18 July 2021)Space.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ↑ Jonathan Amos (30 April 2015). Jeff Bezos conducts New Shepard flight. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32530121.
- ↑ [1] Chris Bergin, NASASpaceflight.com, 28 November 2018
- ↑ $28M is winning bid for seat aboard Blue Origin's 1st human space flight (12 June 2021)ABC News.
