Tag: Blue Origin

Blue Origin Launches Sixth New Shepard Flight

CBS News reports that Blue Origin “launched its sixth New Shepard passenger flight Thursday, taking a half dozen space tourists on a supersonic dash to the edge of space and back, complete with a few minutes of weightlessness and out-of-this world views from 66 miles above west Texas.” The New Shepard rocket and capsule took off from Blue Origin’s “West Texas launch site Thursday, carrying an international six-member crew on a 10-minute flight to the edge of space and back.”
Full Story (CBS News)
More Info (AIAA Statement)

 

 Video

New Shepard Mission NS-22
(Blue Origin; YouTube)

Citizen Astronauts from Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic Commercial Space Missions to Appear Together at 2021 ASCEND in Las Vegas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 22, 2021 – Reston, Va. – Astronauts from the three different commercial space experiences that occurred in 2021 will appear on stage together in Las Vegas on Monday, 15 November, during 2021 ASCEND. ASCEND is the interdisciplinary community focused on building humanity’s off-world future faster, powered by AIAA. Confirmed speakers include:

  • Blue Origin New Shepard Mission NS-18 (October 2021)
    • Glen de Vries, Vice-Chair, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Dassault Systèmes; and Co-Founder, Medidata
  • SpaceX Inspiration4 Mission (September 2021)
    • Jared Isaacman, Inspiration4 Commander
    • Sian Proctor, Inspiration4 Mission Pilot
  • Virgin Galactic Unity22 Mission (July 2021)

The exclusive gathering of these citizen astronauts to share firsthand accounts of their missions epitomizes the ASCEND spirit of community and global partnership. They will discuss the impact of their missions, as well as their experiences during training, flight, and post-launch. The speakers will appear in person in the following 2021 ASCEND sessions:

Opening Keynote
Speakers: Jared Isaacman, Sian Proctor
Monday, 15 November, 0730–0900 hrs PT

Lunch Plenary Session: Citizen Astronauts
Moderator: Kari Byron, Producer and Television Personality, Mythbusters, White Rabbit Project; Host, Crash Test World
Speakers: Sirisha Bandla, Glen de Vries, Jared Isaacman, Sian Proctor
Monday, 15 November, 1145–1245 hrs PT

2021 ASCEND is set for 8–10 and 15–17 November, showcasing a hybrid blend of in-person programming in Las Vegas (Caesars Forum) and Washington, D.C., and online programming on all six days.

The Public is Invited to Attend 2021 ASCEND
ASCEND is an event open to everyone who loves space. The public is invited to register now at the best rates. The full agenda and confirmed speakers are available at ascend.events.

Registration for in-person attendance is limited and only open until 10 November, to ensure all AIAA Health and Safety protocols are met.

Press Passes Available to Media
Journalists interested in covering the citizen astronauts and the full ASCEND program at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas in person should contact [email protected] for credentialing, or request an Online Press Pass here.

Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-18 Mission with Virginia Middle School Students’ Postcards Onboard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 13, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) congratulates our corporate member Blue Origin on the successful New Shepard mission (NS-18) today. AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate the Blue Origin team on its successful NS-18 mission. We believe this mission helps open up access to space travel for more people.

Through our involvement as one of Blue Origin’s Club for the Future partner organizations, AIAA collected postcards decorated with messages and art expressing middle school students’ visions of the future of life in space. The postcards, from students at Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia, were flown onboard the New Shepard rocket during today’s mission. We’ll return the postcards to them, stamped ‘Flown to Space,’ as part of our collective effort to help develop and inspire the next generation of space professionals.”

Blue-Origin-Launch-13Oct2021-APImages
Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket launches carrying passengers William Shatner, Chris Boshuizen, Audrey Powers and Glen de Vries from its spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. | Credit: LM Otero; Associated Press–©

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and serious enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Blue Origin Announces Next Crewed Rocket Launch

The Houston Chronicle reports that “Blue Origin will launch its next crew into space on Oct. 12.” Blue Origin announced “that the four-person crew will include Chris Boshuizen, a former NASA engineer and co-founder of Planet Labs, and Glen de Vries, vice chair of life sciences and health care at Dassault Systèmes.” The other two crew members will be announced soon. The Chronicle reports that “this will be the second crewed flight from West Texas” after the launch of Blue Origin’s “first crew, which included the company’s billionaire founder Jeff Bezos, on July 20.”
Full Story (Houston Chronicle)

USSF Launch Director Discusses BE-4 Rocket Engines

In an interview with Space News at last week’s Space Symposium, Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of the launch enterprise at the Space Systems Command, “said it is ‘unfortunate’ that Blue Origin is taking far longer than expected to complete the testing and production of BE-4 rocket engines for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle.” However, according to Bongiovi, the engine is “performing as well as expected in pre-qualification tests and ULA’s current projections that Vulcan will have flight-qualified engines by year’s end seem ‘doable.’” Bongiovi said, “The BE-4 engine has been late for a long time. … Now we need to make sure we’ve got good focus on keeping it on track from here on out, and that’s what we’ve been working on.”
Full Story (Space News)

Blue Origin Confirms Vehicles for Tuesday’s Crewed Mission Are Ready for Launch

Forbes reports that on Sunday, Blue Origin “announced that everything looks set and ready to go for its first human spaceflight, which will launch” company founder Jeff Bezos “and three others over 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface before their safe return.” The mission is scheduled to launch Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. EDT. Chief engineer Chris Jaeger said, “The vehicles are ready to fly.” He added that the New Shepard rocket and the RSS First Step capsule have been checked since their last test flights, and “there are no engineering or technical issues” with the vehicles.
Full Story

AIAA Foundation Selected to Receive $1 Million from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2021 – Reston, Va. – Today, AIAA Foundation was selected to receive a $1 million grant from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future. This generous grant will allow the AIAA Foundation to fuel the next generation of space professionals who will create our off-world future. The AIAA Foundation will engage students and educators with new, innovative, and creative STEM education opportunities, as well as expand the robust K-12 and university programs we have enabled for the last 25 years.

“Our recent auction for the first seat on New Shepard resulted in a donation of $28 million to our non-profit foundation, Club for the Future,” said Bob Smith, Blue Origin CEO. “This donation is enabling Club for the Future to rapidly expand its reach by partnering with 19 organizations to develop and inspire the next generation of space professionals. Our generation will build the road to space and these efforts will ensure the next generation is ready to go even further.”

“The AIAA Foundation is honored to receive a $1 million grant from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future,” said John Langford, chair, AIAA Foundation. “This is a perfect example of what we mean when we talk about paying it forward. We are excited by the momentum they have created with these generous donations. Congratulations to all the partner organizations! We applaud Blue Origin’s dedication to igniting student’s imaginations as they help usher in a new era of commercial spaceflight for space tourists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses. This gift allows the AIAA Foundation to multiply our impact on young hearts and minds who see space as more than a dream – rather, a place where they will live, work, and play. We can’t wait to see how the students we reach together will lead space innovation in the 21st century!”

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional, student, and corporate members of AIAA, we are thrilled to receive this generous grant from Blue Origin’s Club for the Future,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA Executive Director. “We are energized at AIAA about this opportunity to impact today’s students – who will make up the teams – who will become the most technically proficient, professionally equipped, and culturally diverse workforce on the planet. Our STEM education programs focus on outreach to students of all backgrounds, especially from underserved and underrepresented groups, helping ensure space is available for all. Today’s students will tackle tomorrow’s challenges of living and working in low Earth orbit, on the moon, and beyond. Our off-world future is looking bright!”

About Club for the Future
Founded by Blue Origin in 2019, Club for the Future is a nonprofit foundation whose mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and to help invent the future of life in space. The Club and its collaborators are doing this through Postcards to Space, space-focused curriculum, and access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets. For more information visit, ClubforFuture.org.

About Blue Origin
Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos with the vision of enabling a future where millions of people are living and working in space to benefit Earth. To preserve Earth, Blue Origin believes that humanity will need to expand, explore, find new energy and material resources, and move industries that stress Earth into space. On July 20, Blue Origin will fly its first astronaut crew on board New Shepard to space and back. To watch the launch live on July 20 or sign up for updates visit BlueOrigin.com.

About AIAA Foundation
The AIAA Foundation inspires and supports the next generation of aerospace professionals. From classroom to career, the AIAA Foundation enables innovative K-12 and university programming, including STEM classroom grants, scholarships, conferences, and hands-on competitions. Founded in 1996, the AIAA Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization connected to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

 

FAA Approves Bezos’ Blue Origin for Crewed Space Travel

Reuters reports that the FAA announced Monday that it is approving Blue Origin’s application to carry humans into space on the New Shepard launch system. The license “is valid through August and is approved to conduct these missions from its Launch Site One facility in Texas.” Fox Business reports that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos “is scheduled to fly into space on July 20 on New Shepard’s 16th flight.”
Full Story (Reuters); More Info (Fox Business)

Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin Selected by DARPA to Develop Spacecraft for Nuclear Propulsion Demo

Space News reports that DARPA “selected Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin to develop competing spacecraft concepts for a demonstration of nuclear thermal propulsion, the agency announced April 12.” The contracts were awarded under the demonstration rocket for agile cislunar operations (DRACO) program. Through the program, DARPA is looking “to demonstrate nuclear thermal propulsion technology – using a nuclear reactor to heat up rocket fuel to generate thrust.” Lockheed Martin’s “contract value is $2.9 million and the Blue Origin’s is $2.5 million.”
Full Story (Space News)

USAF Secretary Meets With ULA and Blue Origin CEOs, Briefed On Vulcan Centaur

Space News reports that on August 24, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall “met with the chief executives of United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin and was briefed on the Vulcan Centaur, a new launch vehicle developed by ULA that is powered by Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines.” According to Space News, the “main topic of the meeting were the delays in the development and testing of the BE-4 rocket engine that ULA needs in order to fly its new rocket.” Kendall didn’t provide details of his discussions with ULA CEO Tory Bruno and Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith, but “he expressed confidence that they will be able to work through the problems.” Kendall added that one of the reasons “he pushed to have two providers in the national security space launch program is to offer a fallback in case one of them isn’t able to launch payloads.” Kendall said that he believes ULA and Blue Origin “will probably get there, and they’re motivated to do that. So we’ll see what happens. Hopefully we’ll be all right and they won’t have any additional schedule delays.”
Full Story (Space News)

Michael Strahan to Go to Space on Next Blue Origin Flight

On its website, Good Morning America reports that “Good Morning America” co-host and former NFL defensive lineman Michael Strahan “will fly to space on Blue Origin’s next space flight.” The AP reports that Strahan “will join Laura Shepard Churchley, the eldest daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard, on the Dec. 9 mission aboard the New Shepard, a spacecraft named after her father and the first American in space.” The flight “will also carry four paying customers and will be the third by the New Shepard craft this year to shuttle humans to space.” The announcement received extensive media attention Tuesday.
Full Story (Good Morning America); More Info (Associated Press)

NASA, Space Force See Benefits in Using Commercial Space Services

Space News reports that NASA Chief Economist Alexander MacDonald said private competition for NASA contracts is “one of the most exciting things that we’re seeing.” MacDonald said the announcement of privately designed commercial space stations to succeed the International Space Station are “very exciting from a market dynamics perspective.”
Full Story (Space News)

Second Launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Planned for Late Spring

Space News reports, “Blue Origin expects to attempt its second New Glenn launch in late spring after correcting problems that prevented the booster from landing on the first launch last month. Speaking at the 27th Annual Commercial Space Conference here Feb. 12, Dave Limp, chief executive of Blue Origin, suggested a propulsion issue of some kind caused the loss of the New Glenn booster during its landing attempt on the Jan. 16 NG-1 launch. ‘We had most of the right conditions in the engine but we weren’t able to get everything right to the engine from the tanks,’ he said. ‘We think we understand what the issues are.’
Full Story (Space News)

NASA Makes Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Eligible to Launch Uncrewed Scientific Missions

The Wall Street Journal reports that NASA said Wednesday that the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will be eligible to launch uncrewed scientific missions for the agency later this decade. There was no contract award given to Blue Origin, but the announcement marks the first time the company has become eligible to launch science missions for NASA. Blue Origin joins SpaceX and ULA, who have already been cleared to launch scientific missions for the agency.
Full Story (Wall Street Journal–Subscription Publication)

Blue Origin Launches Third Crewed New Shepard Mission of 2024

Via Satellite reports, “Blue Origin flew a crew to the edge of space on the New Shepard rocket on Friday in its ninth human spaceflight mission. The civilian astronaut crew included TV host and space communicator Emily Calandrelli, known for Netflix and Youtube science shows. During the 10-minute mission, the New Shepard rocket launched from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas. The crew capsule separated successfully from the booster, giving the crew a few minutes of weightlessness.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
More Info (AIAA Statement)

 

Video

Blue Origin NS-28 Crew Launch, Friday, November 22, 2024. (Launch at 0:39:02 mark)
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-27 Mission

October 24, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate Blue Origin on its successful NS-27 mission, debuting its second human-rated vehicle. We eagerly anticipate learning more about the results from the multiple payloads onboard.

New Shepard missions embody the promises of space for the benefit of Earth. Reusability is the future of launch. Sustainable space vehicles like New Shepard continue helping decrease the cost of access to space as we see the space economy growing.

We applaud AIAA Corporate Member Blue Origin for shaping the future of aerospace.”

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

Video

New Shepard Mission NS-27 (Launch at 10:53 mark)
(Blue Origin; YouTube)

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-19 Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 11, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) congratulates our corporate member Blue Origin on the successful New Shepard mission (NS-19) today. AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate the Blue Origin team on its successful NS-19 mission. This mission builds on Blue Origin’s vision to see millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. AIAA and the ASCEND community applaud these efforts and support opening up access to space travel for more people.

AIAA is honored to be one of Blue Origin’s Club for the Future partner organizations to help develop and inspire the next generation of space professionals. We recognize the countless aerospace industry professionals who are involved in making today’s mission a success. We salute the Blue Origin team for turning dreams into reality and helping shape the future of aerospace.”

Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook,LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Photo: The crew of New Shepard NS-19. Pictured from left to right: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan, and Evan Dick. | Credit: Blue Origin