Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard NS-38 mission on January 22, marking the company’s first human spaceflight of 2026. The reusable rocket lifted off from Launch Site One in West Texas, carrying six private passengers on a brief but historic suborbital journey to the edge of space.
The New Shepard vehicle crossed the Kármán line, widely recognised as the boundary of space, allowing the crew to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and sweeping views of Earth. The entire flight lasted around 10 to 12 minutes, from liftoff to landing.
After separating from the crew capsule, the booster performed a precise autonomous vertical landing back at the launch site, once again demonstrating Blue Origin’s focus on reusable rocket technology. The capsule, meanwhile, returned safely under parachutes, touching down in the Texas desert.
The NS-38 crew included entrepreneurs, professionals, and aviation veterans, reflecting the growing diversity of participants in commercial space tourism. Among them were business leaders, a retired medical professional, and a former US Air Force colonel. Blue Origin executive Dr. Laura Stiles, Director of New Shepard Launch Operations, also joined the mission as a last-minute replacement after another passenger withdrew due to health reasons.
This flight was the 38th overall mission of the New Shepard programme and the 17th crewed flight since Blue Origin began carrying humans to space in 2021. With NS-38, the company has now flown 98 people into space, including repeat flyers, further strengthening its position in the private space tourism market.
In addition to carrying passengers, the mission also supported research payloads, taking advantage of the short microgravity phase to conduct experiments related to space science and technology.
Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme is designed to make spaceflight safer, more frequent, and more accessible by reusing key components of the rocket system. While ticket prices are not publicly disclosed, such flights remain exclusive, catering to high-net-worth individuals interested in experiencing space firsthand.
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