New Shepard - NS-18 Crewed - 13 October 2021

[ZachS09]

Sad update to this: It was just reported that one of the crew members on this flight, Glen de Vries, died in a plane accident yesterday.

https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/fairlawn/police-fire/major-ny-tech-company-founder-who-flew-flight-with-shatner-one-of-two-killed-in-nj-plane-crash/819932/

I can't believe it. Only one month after his spaceflight.

[litton4]

Just saw this - all the "jokes" about Red shirts notwithstanding.....

RIP

[Rondaz]

Space tourist Blue Origin crashes in the fall of a light aircraft.

Blue Origin space tourist Glen de Vries crashes in light-engine plane crash.

01:10 11/13/2021

WASHINGTON, November 13 - RIA Novosti. Businessman Glen de Vries, who made a suborbital flight on the New Shepard in October, died in a plane crash, Blue Origin reported on Friday.

"We are saddened to hear of the sudden death of Glen de Vries, he brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and the entire crew. His love of aviation, his charitable work and his dedication to his cause will long be respected and admired," the company wrote in your Twitter .

As reported by CNN , citing New Jersey State Police , the accident occurred on Thursday in the Hampton area, 65 kilometers from New York . The light-engine aircraft Cessna 172, for an unknown reason, crashed into a forest belt. The Transportation Security Administration is investigating the incident.

In the cockpit, in addition to 49-year-old de Vreis, there was 54-year-old Thomas Fischer, a hereditary aviation instructor and head of Fischer Aviation, where de Vreis took flight lessons since 2016. Fischer, according to media reports, also died.

Glen de Vries visited the border with space on October 13. He flew alongside 90-year-old actor William Shatner, Blue Origin vice president Audrey Powers and former NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen. After the flight, the head of Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos , who himself went into space last summer, personally presented the newly minted astronauts with special badges. The cost of the flight into space, de Vries, who founded the software company Medidata Solutions, did not disclose, but said it was "worth it."

https://ria.ru/20211113/padenie-1758866630.html

[yg1968]

https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1467648732996927489

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/variety/status/1578263858094841856

In an exclusive excerpt from William Shatner’s new book, “Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder,” the “Star Trek” actor reflects on his voyage into space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/william-shatner-space-boldly-go-excerpt-1235395113/

twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1578423383380951042

"It was among the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered. The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness ... My trip to space was supposed to be a celebration ... it felt like a funeral."

https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1578424117954576384

The honesty and lack of sugarcoating from @WilliamShatner in this piece is something to take in, savor, and appreciate. Earth is a precious jewel in the lonely cosmos. As we expand as a species we need to protect it. I hope—but am far from certain—that humanity is up to the task.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[Hamish.Student]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

[whitelancer64]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

[LouScheffer]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

Not only that, but anything in free fall (including you jumping off your desk) is technically in orbit.  It's just an orbit with a low perigee that intersects the Earth's surface.  So technically the passengers not only flew on Bezos' space shuttle, they went into orbit.

[DanClemmensen]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

I disagree. For all shuttles I can think of, a shuttle goes from point A to point B in one trip, and from point B back to point A in a separate trip. If you come back to where you started without getting out of the vehicle, your trip is not a shuttle trip.

[deadman1204]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

Not only that, but anything in free fall (including you jumping off your desk) is technically in orbit.  It's just an orbit with a low perigee that intersects the Earth's surface.  So technically the passengers not only flew on Bezos' space shuttle, they went into orbit.

No, orbit has a very specific definition. There is literally nothing orbital about NS (or people jumping off of desks).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit
Basically a curved trajectory that goes AROUND a celestial body. If the path collides with the body, its not an orbital path.

[LouScheffer]

Not only that, but anything in free fall (including you jumping off your desk) is technically in orbit.  It's just an orbit with a low perigee that intersects the Earth's surface.  So technically the passengers not only flew on Bezos' space shuttle, they went into orbit.

No, orbit has a very specific definition. There is literally nothing orbital about NS (or people jumping off of desks).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit
Basically a curved trajectory that goes AROUND a celestial body. If the path collides with the body, its not an orbital path.

You are using common sense, as opposed to the pointless technicality we are deliberately using here.  From the exact article you quoted 'All these motions are actually "orbits" in a technical sense—they are describing a portion of an elliptical path around the center of gravity—but the orbits are interrupted by striking the Earth.'

[deadman1204]

Not only that, but anything in free fall (including you jumping off your desk) is technically in orbit.  It's just an orbit with a low perigee that intersects the Earth's surface.  So technically the passengers not only flew on Bezos' space shuttle, they went into orbit.

No, orbit has a very specific definition. There is literally nothing orbital about NS (or people jumping off of desks).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit
Basically a curved trajectory that goes AROUND a celestial body. If the path collides with the body, its not an orbital path.

You are using common sense, as opposed to the pointless technicality we are deliberately using here.  From the exact article you quoted 'All these motions are actually "orbits" in a technical sense—they are describing a portion of an elliptical path around the center of gravity—but the orbits are interrupted by striking the Earth.'

[whitelancer64]

Not only that, but anything in free fall (including you jumping off your desk) is technically in orbit.  It's just an orbit with a low perigee that intersects the Earth's surface.  So technically the passengers not only flew on Bezos' space shuttle, they went into orbit.

No, orbit has a very specific definition. There is literally nothing orbital about NS (or people jumping off of desks).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit
Basically a curved trajectory that goes AROUND a celestial body. If the path collides with the body, its not an orbital path.

You are using common sense, as opposed to the pointless technicality we are deliberately using here.  From the exact article you quoted 'All these motions are actually "orbits" in a technical sense—they are describing a portion of an elliptical path around the center of gravity—but the orbits are interrupted by striking the Earth.'

[whitelancer64]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

I disagree. For all shuttles I can think of, a shuttle goes from point A to point B in one trip, and from point B back to point A in a separate trip. If you come back to where you started without getting out of the vehicle, your trip is not a shuttle trip.

By that definition, for many of its flights, the Space Shuttle was not a shuttle.

[DanClemmensen]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

I disagree. For all shuttles I can think of, a shuttle goes from point A to point B in one trip, and from point B back to point A in a separate trip. If you come back to where you started without getting out of the vehicle, your trip is not a shuttle trip.

By that definition, for many of its flights, the Space Shuttle was not a shuttle.

Shuttle describes a function, not a vehicle. A vehicle that typically performs the shuttle function is often called a shuttle. the same vehicle can perform other functions. Compare "airport shuttle" and shuttle flights between DC and New York. New Shepard cannot perform the shuttle function and will never perform the shuttle function. You are correct: the STS did not always perform the shuttle function.

[meekGee]

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle

   
 
I know this is Variety we are talking about, but come on.

By the definition of a shuttle -- a vehicle that goes from one place to another and back again -- and since the New Shepard capsule does surpass 100 km altitude and therefore goes to space, it's technically correct to call it a space shuttle.

I disagree. For all shuttles I can think of, a shuttle goes from point A to point B in one trip, and from point B back to point A in a separate trip. If you come back to where you started without getting out of the vehicle, your trip is not a shuttle trip.

By that definition, for many of its flights, the Space Shuttle was not a shuttle.

Shuttle describes a function, not a vehicle. A vehicle that typically performs the shuttle function is often called a shuttle. the same vehicle can perform other functions. Compare "airport shuttle" and shuttle flights between DC and New York. New Shepard cannot perform the shuttle function and will never perform the shuttle function. You are correct: the STS did not always perform the shuttle function.

Besides, it also stayed at "point B" until it was decided that it needs to come back.

NS pops up and immediately falls back down.

But again, BO fans can play word games until the cows come home. Let NS be a "shuttle", let the people inside be "astronauts" or even "Jedi Knights" if they want to... It doesn't change anything.

[LouScheffer]

But again, BO fans can play word games until the cows come home. Let NS be a "shuttle", let the people inside be "astronauts" or even "Jedi Knights" if they want to... It doesn't change anything.

That's how you tell it's a slow news day - people who should know better (including myself) engage in pointless semantic arguments.  We'd rather be arguing over accident causes, recovery plans, return to flight schedules, and so on, but there is no news from the information black hole that is BO.

[meekGee]

But again, BO fans can play word games until the cows come home. Let NS be a "shuttle", let the people inside be "astronauts" or even "Jedi Knights" if they want to... It doesn't change anything.

That's how you tell it's a slow news day - people who should know better (including myself) engage in pointless semantic arguments.  We'd rather be arguing over accident causes, recovery plans, return to flight schedules, and so on, but there is no news from the information black hole that is BO.

Forget "should know better"...  I actually have a job, implausible as it may sound.