A Blue Shepard New Shepard launch on the NS-20 mission takes six passengers into space from West Texas on Thursday, March 31, 2022.It’s been nearly two years since Blue Origin flew humans to space on its New Shepard rocket, but the next six passengers are set to go Sunday as the Jeff Bezos company gets back to the business of space tourism.
The price to fly with Blue Origin has not been made public, but Dwight’s seat is being sponsored by nonprofit Space for Humanity, which has sent up several previous New Shepard passengers, as well as contributions from the Jaison and Jamie Robinson Foundation. The rocket last flew on a crewed mission in August 2022, but a month later the first stage booster on an uncrewed flight suffered an explosion.
In total, Blue Origin has flown 31 people to suborbital space for the 10- to 11-minute rides. They have included Star Trek’s William Shatner, NFL Hall of Famer and “Good Morning America” co-host Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of Alan Shepard, the first American in space for whom the rocket is named.