Blue Origin’s New Shepard Has Launched More Than 50 People to Space

With the launch of the NS-30 mission—New Shepard’s 30th flight overall and 10th with crew—the company’s workhorse rocket has now flown more than 50 people to the edge of space. The flight, which lifted off Tuesday morning from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in Texas and lasted just over 10 minutes, was New Shepard’s fourth with crew since returning to action in December 2023 after more than two years being grounded by the FAA.

“10 crews—52 people including four repeat customers—have now journeyed to space on New Shepard, each with an unforgettable experience,” said Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, in a post on X.

New Shepard gives customers a taste of spaceflight, flying them just beyond the Kármán line—the generally accepted “imaginary boundary” between Earth and space—at three times the speed of sound. At apogee, crewmembers enjoy a few moments of weightlessness in a capsule designed to provide panoramic views of the planet below. So far, occupants have included tourists, scientists, and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos and his guests.

New Shepard lifted off Tuesday around 10:50 a.m. EST, and the booster landed about seven minutes later, followed by the crew capsule. All three of the capsule’s parachutes activated, unlike during the NS-25 mission when only two inflated fully. The company has said the capsule is designed to land safely with two parachutes.

The NS-30 crew—which named itself “Perfect 10” in a nod to the rocket’s 10th crewed spaceflight—comprised six people, with one identified only by the “R. Wilson” on his spacesuit. Blue Origin referred to Wilson as an “undisclosed sixth person.”

Four of the other five crewmembers—TV host Jesús Calleja, entrepreneur and physicist Elaine Hyde, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Richard Scott, and hedge fund partner Tushar Shah—are pilots, according to Blue Origin. Joining them was venture capitalist Lane Bess, who previously flew on the NS-19 mission in 2021.

Blue Origin does not publicly disclose the price of New Shepard tickets, but aspiring astronauts can book a flight on the company’s website.

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