In the commercial space flight race, Blue Origin also wants to make history and has everything ready for its first trip with a crew. The company of Jeff Bezos, founder and now former CEO of Amazon, received clearance from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for takeoff on July 20.
In this way, Blue Origin already has approval for travelers aboard New Shepard to cross the Kármán line, the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. To obtain the “ok” from the US authorities, the aerospace firm had to demonstrate optimal software and hardware performance during a test flight in April.
Thus, the first flight into space with the crew of Jeff Bezos’ company has been confirmed for next Tuesday the 20th. The launch will take place. at 8 in the morning (CDT), from a remote location in the desert west of Texas. Blue Origin also announced that there will be no areas for the public to view the event from the venue, but it will be broadcast globally via streaming.
Blue Origin’s first manned flight will feature Jeff Bezos and an aviation pioneer
Jeff Bezos confirmed in early June that he would be part of the crew on Blue Origin’s first flight into space with occupants. However, his rival Richard Branson beat him when he reached the edge of space last Sunday, at the hands of Virgin Galactic.
Logically, the founder of Amazon will not travel alone. Together with him will be his brother Mark and the pilot Wally Funk, 82 years, who was a pioneer of aviation in the United States and will fulfill his long-delayed dream of reaching space. Three other passengers will complete the seats, including a still anonymous buyer who paid $ 28 million for his ticket.
New Shepard is expected to exceed 100 kilometers in altitude after takeoff. The rocket will separate from the capsule that will transport the travelers and return for a vertical landing. Meanwhile, the suborbital module will allow passengers to enjoy an incredible view of the Earth and experience weightlessness. At the time of descent, lhe Blue Origin capsule will use a triple parachute system.
The contest between Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic promises several frictions in the coming months. Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company has thrown darts at its competitor, especially because of the height achieved by the SpaceShipTwo. They argue that Richard Branson and company reached a height of 91.73 kilometers, for which technically they would not have crossed the Kármán line. Therefore, they claim that they did not really reach space.
Beyond the disputes, private suborbital tourism ventures are a hot topic these days and mobilize huge amounts of money. Just as Virgin Galactic passengers must pay US $ 250 thousand per ticket, those interested in traveling with Blue Origin they have to pay practically double.