Space travel pioneer Jeff Bezos embarks on journey aboard his own vessel.
Jeff "Rocketman" Bezos Blasts Off to Space
Get ready for a wild ride! On July 20, the man behind Amazon, Jeff Bezos, embarked on an epic journey, strapping into Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft. Along for the ride was his brother, Mark Bezos, making it a familial affair. This space voyage wasn't just a whim; Jeff had been harboring dreams of cosmic exploration since he was five years old!
Now, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of this badass spacecraft. New Shepard is a suborbital launch vehicle with a mission to bring space tourism within reach. Powered by the BE-3PM engine, it launches a capsule to the edge of space (we're talking over 100km) and then safely returns to Earth using parachutes. The capsules, including RSS Jules Verne, RSS H. G. Wells, RSS First Step, and RSS Kármán Line, have been specially crafted for this extraterrestrial odyssey.
Originally, New Shepard underwent fifteen test launches to push the vehicle to its limits in various stressful flight conditions. By the time the capsule took its first human passengers on its first manned flight, it was a seasoned traveler, proving its mettle time and time again. And let's not forget, since then, it's been taking paying customers and special guests into the cosmos!
But wait, there's more! Blue Origin is already dreaming big and working on a heavier, reusable rocket called the New Glenn. This baby's design is inspired by SpaceX's famous Falcon 9, and its first flight is set for 2022 (fingers crossed for no delays!). Now, that's what we call reaching for the stars!
However, there was a little hiccup in the form of an uncrewed mission in September 2022. Unfortunately, engine failure led to an anomaly, causing a temporary halt in flights. Blue Origin swiftly pinpointed the issue: a thermal-structure failure in the engine nozzle. No worries, though, the issue has been tackled, and the capsule is ready to continue its cosmic adventure!
Building on the advanced technology of Blue Origin's New Shepard, the space vessel embarks on an exciting journey of science and space-and-astronomy, carrying with it the dreams of a lifetime, propelled by the power of the BE-3PM engine. As Jeff Bezos aims for the stars, Blue Origin also prepares for the launch of their New Glenn rocket, a heavy-duty, reusable rocket that aspires to push the boundaries of space-and-astronomy, much like SpaceX's Falcon 9.
