NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => Blue Origin => Topic started by: FutureSpaceTourist on 12/18/2017 03:57 pm
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We have test flight specific threads (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43723.msg1722235#msg1722235) and a general discussion (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43998.0) thread but think it’s time for an updates thread (now New Shepard is back in action).
To kick it off some remarks today from the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC):
Jeff Ashby, Blue Origin: there is one thing cooler than watching space launches, and that is watching rockets land. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942788007047979008 (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942788007047979008)
Ashby: recalling being in a meeting 10 years ago with Air Force Space Command Gen. Chilton, along with AFRL and NASA personnel, who concluded that flyback boosters were not viable. Technology and private funding changed that. #NSRC2017
Ashby: one-year hiatus in New Shepard suborbital flight was to incorporate lessons from the earlier series of flight tests. Learned a lot during those earlier tests. #NSRC2017
Ashby discussing some of the key technical elements of New Shepard that enables operational reusability: ring fins, speed brakes, deeply-throttling BE-3 engine.
Currently turning around vehicle in about 2 weeks; hope to get it down to 1 week with ~20 people. #NSRC2017
Ashby: flight last week was the first under an FAA launch license (previous ones were under experimental permits); needed to collect revenue for flights. #NSRC2017
Ashby: should have a little more than three minutes of microgravity on New Shepard flights. Peak of about 5 g on reentry. #NSRC2017
Ashby: we’re roughly a year out from human flights on New Shepard. Will start with test flights; about 1.5 to 2 years before people can start flying with their research payloads. #NSRC2017
Ashby: not selling tickets for New Shepard flights; we’ll wait until we have the version of the capsule and rocket flying that we plan to use for commercial service. #NSRC2017
Ashby noted the Apollo astronauts who visited the New Shepard exhibit this summer at Oshkosh, like Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin. They’re “strong supporters” of what we’re doing now, but that wasn’t always the case. #NSRC2017
Ashby: one day of training will include a sim of a normal mission plus emergency egress and related training. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942794974327902210 (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942794974327902210)
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Jeff Foust's write-up of yesterday's remarks:
Blue Origin a year away from crewed New Shepard flights
by Jeff Foust — December 19, 2017
http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-a-year-away-from-crewed-new-shepard-flights/ (http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-a-year-away-from-crewed-new-shepard-flights/)
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[Erika] Wagner: we plan on flying payloads on all of our test flights in the next year on New Shepard, then bring in the version of the vehicle that will carry people. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/943167196716552193 (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/943167196716552193)
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Crew test flights next year when next capsule (V3.0?) is ready.
Full 2018 flight manifest for V2.0, ie flying experiments. How many flights that is wasn't offered by Blue.
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Wagner: a standard payload locker on a New Shepard flight (about 52x41x24 cm, 11.3 kg) will cost between $50-120K, depending on its requirements. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/943170429887410176
Edit to add:
Wagner: New Shepard's future capabilities: Up to 6 astronauts and/or payload stacks, Payload access L-30 mins and R+20 mins, external mounting and deployment, science-quality window inserts, capsule replacement payloads, additional possibilities as demand grows. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/CO_Space_News/status/943170180498231296 (https://twitter.com/CO_Space_News/status/943170180498231296)
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Wagner: a Nanolab (about the size of a 2U cubesat) starts at less than $10K for student payloads. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/943170822021185536
Wagner: working on supporting external payloads mounted in interstage area of New Shepard propulsion module, around ring fins. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/943172799623041025
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Ok, not purely about New Shepard but I suspect New Shepard provides the first opportunity:
NASA willing to consider flying researchers on commercial suborbital vehicles
by Jeff Foust — December 27, 2017
http://spacenews.com/nasa-willing-to-consider-flying-researchers-on-commercial-suborbital-vehicles/ (http://spacenews.com/nasa-willing-to-consider-flying-researchers-on-commercial-suborbital-vehicles/)
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They have a bot..Don't know what it's doing, but they have a bot.
https://youtu.be/fQH0l7XioKo
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Via Jeff Foust:
From an article about a New Mexico company flying a communications payload on Blue Origin’s New Shepard: the next test flight is scheduled “in the coming weeks.” (It’s been close to two months since the previous test.)
https://www.abqjournal.com/1129055/sfs-solstar-pioneers-spacetoearth-communications.html
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New tweet shows the New Shepard caught in transport now inside the New Glenn factory.
https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/966346919067963393
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Update: much better photos.
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FCC granted a license for Flight 9 of New Shepard, NET April 1st. We're about to get PRANKED
https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=205453&x=.
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.@BlueOrigin seeking to hire an Astronaut Experience Manager: Understand astronaut needs/desires, help define/develop the end-to-end astronaut experience, lead a team to implement, lead astronaut experience operations, develop astronaut hospitality program
https://twitter.com/ac_charania/status/971194612319686656 (https://twitter.com/ac_charania/status/971194612319686656)
https://careers-blueorigin.icims.com/jobs/2573/astronaut-experience-manager/job (https://careers-blueorigin.icims.com/jobs/2573/astronaut-experience-manager/job)
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/973276257440927744
Clay Mowry, Blue Origin: expect to do several New Shepard test flights this year; start flying our own crew late this year or early next year.
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From interview with Ariane Cornell (head of astronaut strategy and sales and New Glenn commercial sales director for the Americas at Blue Origin):
New Shepard will be flying Blue Origin employees by the end of this year, assuming our test program continues to go well. Within the next year or two, we’ll have paying customers, which is really exciting.
http://seattlebusinessmag.com/profiles/executive-qa-ariane-cornell-says-blue-origin-will-launch-people-space-end-2018
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An FAA temporary flight restriction suggests Blue Origin will be conducting another New Shepard suborbital test flight as soon as tomorrow: bit.ly/2qQjhIG
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/988472791975555072
But altitude on FAA restriction is reported as only up to 8,000 ft MSL?
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For anyone who like me was watching THIS thread over the weekend for updates on today's test flight, it's being tracked here:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=45574.0
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I am not sure if this is news but Phil Plaint said that the 4th version of the NS rocket is the one that will carry crew:
Blue Origin has said they want to fly people *this year*. That will be on the fourth NS rocket.
https://twitter.com/BadAstronomer/status/990643735515009029
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I am not sure if this is news but Phil Plaint said that the 4th version of the NS rocket is the one that will carry crew:
Blue Origin has said they want to fly people *this year*. That will be on the fourth NS rocket.
https://twitter.com/BadAstronomer/status/990643735515009029
Emphasis mine.
The fourth NS rocket is the next in line:
- The first NS rocket was destroyed during the first test flight of the NS system.
- The second NS rocket is currently retired and sitting in the lobby of the New Glenn factory at KSC.
- The third NS rocket performed its second mission yesterday.
- The fourth NS rocket is under construction.
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Blue Origin plans to start selling suborbital spaceflight tickets next year
Blue Origin expects to start flying people on its New Shepard suborbital vehicle “soon” and start selling tickets for commercial flights next year, a company executive said June 19.
Speaking at the Amazon Web Services Public Sector Summit here, as the keynote of a half-day track on earth and space applications, Blue Origin Senior Vice President Rob Meyerson offered a few updates on the development of the company’s suborbital vehicle.
“We plan to start flying our first test passengers soon,” he said after showing a video of a previous New Shepard flight at the company’s West Texas test site. All of the New Shepard flights to date have been without people on board, but the company has said in the past it would fly its personnel on the vehicle in later tests.
http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-plans-to-start-selling-suborbital-spaceflight-tickets-next-year/
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Time for a Flight 9 thread! Flight 9 STA was just granted, NET July 1st.
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=85247
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Thanks for posting. I’ve started flight 9 thread:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=45903.0 (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=45903.0)
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Yu Matsutomi of Blue Origin, during #AIAAPropEnergy session: we’re planning a few more New Shepard test flights this year, with first human flight at the end of this year.
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According to CNBC New Shepard ticket prices will be at least $200,000:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/reuters-america-exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/reuters-america-exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources.html)
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The original article is on Reuters: Exclusive: Jeff Bezos plans to charge at least $200,000 for space rides - sources https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-blueorigin-exclusive/exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources-idUSKBN1K301R (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-blueorigin-exclusive/exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources-idUSKBN1K301R) everybody else just quoted them
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Via Blue Origin twitter: Ready for lift off! New Shepard is gearing up for its ninth mission. We’ll be doing a high altitude escape motor test – pushing the rocket to its limits. Launch is tomorrow. Details on live webcast to come.
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Photo from that same tweet attached.
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New promo video about the New Shepard capsule.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9GoLD49sQ0
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1048127870487416832
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Interview with Jeff Bezos on Recode (https://www.recode.net/2018/10/15/17980544/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-space-travel-2019-tourists), and he talks about New Shepard:
Bezos, who also runs Blue Origin, a rocket company he called the “most important thing I’m working on,” is also focused on sending people into space on what he called a “tourism mission.”
Bezos wants to launch this mission next year.
“I’m hopeful that that will happen in 2019,” Bezos said Monday when he spoke at the Wired Summit in San Francisco. “I was hopeful it would happen in 2018. I keep telling the team it’s not a race. I want this to be the safest space vehicle in the history of space vehicles.”
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Pretty cool picture of the legs of New Shepard and aft body section.
From wired article : https://www.wired.com/story/jeff-bezos-blue-origin/
I downloaded it for easier access.
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Pretty cool picture of the legs of New Shepard and aft body section.
Remember the forum rules: unless you are the one who shot those pictures always credit the source. And if possible, link to the source.
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Pretty cool picture of the legs of New Shepard and aft body section.
Remember the forum rules: unless you are the one who shot those pictures always credit the source. And if possible, link to the source.
Didn't know, fixed it.
Sorry.
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1057295927185162245
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I took a few pictures of New Shepard July, 2017 that I thought people might like to see. You might recognize some of the people in some of the photos. I also thought the details of the landing legs were interesting.
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1981-EX-ST-2018 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=88626&RequestTimeout=1000)
This application is for Flight #11 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
NET 2/15/2019
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https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1067790448507396098
'Few months'?!
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https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1074734506953719808
Blue Origin @blueorigin
We are targeting the next launch of #NewShepard tomorrow at 8:30 am CST / 14:30 UTC. Mission will take a cabin full of @NASA-sponsored payloads into space. Follow the launch live at http://www.BlueOrigin.com and check out the payloads flying with us http://bit.ly/2QD1KSS #NS10
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https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1074759932795281408
This is the first time we’ve had two rockets in the barn in West Texas. We’re building our fleet of versatile reusable launch vehicles step-by-step as we move towards operations #GradatimFerociter #NS10
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Scrubbed due to ground infrastructure issue.
@blueorigin
We are scrubbing today’s #NewShepard launch due to a ground infrastructure issue. The vehicle is in good standing. Stand by for updates as we see what weather looks like for tomorrow #NS10
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Looking at friday to launch.
https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1075180175585755136
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1082675853820076035
Blue Origin’s Ariane Cornell at #AIAASciTech panel this morning: we are aiming to fly people early in 2019, but only do it when we’re ready. We’re not selling tickets yet and we have not selected a price yet.
Cornell adds the next New Shepard launch is coming up “relatively soon”; that was scheduled for last month but postponed, with no new date announced. #AIAASciTech
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89gBER7l2t0
Published on 16 Jan 2019
The more we fly the better we get. Safety and reliability are paramount. Our rigorous test program with New Shepard is putting the vehicle through the paces. We have successfully completed several crew capsule escape tests showing that our astronauts will be safe in any phase of flight. In addition to our test program, our payloads program is driving more flights of the system as we iterate on operations and technology in preparation for human spaceflight. All the learnings from the New Shepard program are being flowed into New Glenn development as we scale up our capabilities to serve the orbital market. Visit us at www.blueorigin.com to learn more.
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https://youtu.be/tEjwXjcVqng
Published on 23 Jan 2019
When we delivered New Shepard PM 4 to our West Texas launch site in December, it was the first time we had two rockets in the barn in Texas. We’re building our fleet of versatile reusable launch vehicles step-by-step as we move towards operations.
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https://youtu.be/bfF6cMNuX5M
Published on 23 Jan 2019
New Shepard’s reusability is lowering launch costs and creating routine access to space. Lowering the cost of microgravity research increases the opportunities for universities, government researchers and entrepreneurs to test payloads and technologies in space.
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https://youtu.be/LFAUnQjQxBU
Origin Stories: Laura Stiles
Published on 23 Jan 2019
We have a lean and mighty team in mission control on launch day – about 30 people who operate New Shepard. Meet our teammate Laura who, like all of us at Blue, is focused on lowering the cost of access to space.
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Blue Origin now asking people to register their interest in New Shepard flights:
https://www.blueorigin.com/new-shepard/become-an-astronaut/reserve-a-seat
You can start your journey now by filling in the following information. By providing your information here, you’ll receive early access to pricing information and tickets when we open reservations. Our New Shepard space vehicle will carry a new generation of explorers and adventurers – we’re looking forward to flying with you!
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Bezos emphasizes altitude advantage of New Shepard over SpaceShipTwo
by Jeff Foust — February 20, 2019
NEW YORK — As Blue Origin prepares to start flying people on its New Shepard suborbital vehicle, the company’s founder says the altitude the vehicle can reach will put it at an advantage over Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo.
https://spacenews.com/bezos-emphasizes-altitude-advantage-of-new-shepard-over-spaceshiptwo/
Jeff Bezos confirms they expect to fly people this year. He also points out New Shepard goes above the Karman line and that SS2 hasn’t yet and says:
“We’ve always had as our mission that we wanted to fly above the Karman Line, because we didn’t want there to be any asterisks next to your name about whether you’re an astronaut or not,”
Ouch!
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Please remember that this is an updates thread. Take the is-it-space-or-not debates to a discussion thread.
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Bezos emphasizes altitude advantage of New Shepard over SpaceShipTwo
by Jeff Foust — February 20, 2019
NEW YORK — As Blue Origin prepares to start flying people on its New Shepard suborbital vehicle, the company’s founder says the altitude the vehicle can reach will put it at an advantage over Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo.
https://spacenews.com/bezos-emphasizes-altitude-advantage-of-new-shepard-over-spaceshiptwo/
Jeff Bezos confirms they expect to fly people this year. He also points out New Shepard goes above the Karman line and that SS2 hasn’t yet and says:
“We’ve always had as our mission that we wanted to fly above the Karman Line, because we didn’t want there to be any asterisks next to your name about whether you’re an astronaut or not,”
Ouch!
Business Insider has more detail (almost a transcription) of Bezos’ remarks the other day:
https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-wings-club-presentation-transcript-2019-2
More New Shepard related details:
The booster is performing very well, and we now have two boosters there in Texas for the first time.
We will fly one flight this year — humans, I mean — but we will fly when we're ready.
Only one flight?!
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0536-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=90990&RequestTimeout=1000)
Please explain the purpose of operation: This application is for Flight #13 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
...
Requested Period of Operation
Operation Start Date: 07/15/2019
Operation End Date: 01/15/2020
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0536-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=90990&RequestTimeout=1000)
Please explain the purpose of operation: This application is for Flight #13 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
...
Requested Period of Operation
Operation Start Date: 07/15/2019
Operation End Date: 01/15/2020
I'm not sure I get what this means.
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0536-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=90990&RequestTimeout=1000)
Please explain the purpose of operation: This application is for Flight #13 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
...
Requested Period of Operation
Operation Start Date: 07/15/2019
Operation End Date: 01/15/2020
I'm not sure I get what this means.
The 13th flight of New Shephard is NET July 15. (Which based on their historical cadence seems wildly optimistic if they still plan to launch NS-11 and NS-12.)
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0536-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=90990&RequestTimeout=1000)
Please explain the purpose of operation: This application is for Flight #13 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
...
Requested Period of Operation
Operation Start Date: 07/15/2019
Operation End Date: 01/15/2020
I'm not sure I get what this means.
The 13th flight of New Shephard is NET July 15. (Which based on their historical cadence seems wildly optimistic if they still plan to launch NS-11 and NS-12.)
Lol, I thought 2019 was last year, oops.
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https://www.axios.com/blue-origin-test-flights-9dc5d8e1-1bfe-4d21-a3c1-683a6f2e9c00.html
Blue Origin is 2 test flights away from flying people to suborbital space by the end of the year, CEO Bob Smith told Axios.
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https://www.axios.com/blue-origin-test-flights-9dc5d8e1-1bfe-4d21-a3c1-683a6f2e9c00.html
Blue Origin is 2 test flights away from flying people to suborbital space by the end of the year, CEO Bob Smith told Axios.
Hmm, they changed it:
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1153756723334852609
Update: Axios updated the quote to say "a few" rather than "two." So we'll see! Doing three flights before the end of the year would be hard but any more seems to make flying people this year out of the question.
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https://www.axios.com/blue-origin-test-flights-9dc5d8e1-1bfe-4d21-a3c1-683a6f2e9c00.html
Blue Origin is 2 test flights away from flying people to suborbital space by the end of the year, CEO Bob Smith told Axios.
It's been well over three months since the last test flight. With a few more test flights to go before a crewed launch, 2019 looks extremely unlikely.
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https://www.axios.com/blue-origin-test-flights-9dc5d8e1-1bfe-4d21-a3c1-683a6f2e9c00.html (https://www.axios.com/blue-origin-test-flights-9dc5d8e1-1bfe-4d21-a3c1-683a6f2e9c00.html)
Blue Origin is 2 test flights away from flying people to suborbital space by the end of the year, CEO Bob Smith told Axios.
It's been well over three months since the last test flight. With a few more test flights to go before a crewed launch, 2019 looks extremely unlikely.
I have it from a good source that it is not "extremely unlikely" but "absolutely out of the question".
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Do we know what they still have to do to prepare for crewed flights?
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The NS-10 telemetry.
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Renewed FAA license for New Shepard, LRLO 17-105 (Rev. 1)
effective August 17, 2019
Terms seem to be unchanged. Does not mention crewed or uncrewed, but allows "passive and/or active payloads".
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1173671721854914560
Blue Origin’s Erika Wagner says the company is in the “i-dotting and t-crossing” phase of the New Shepard flight test program as it prepares to fly people into space before the end of the year, as the company has been stating. (But last test flight was 4.5 months ago…)
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1791-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=95260&RequestTimeout=1000)
This application is for Flight #12 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
Operation Start Date: 11/01/2019
Operation End Date: 05/01/2020
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1176828994064400385
Blue Origin expects to test fly its New Shepard rocket at least 2 more times before putting its first people on board.
CEO Bob Smith tells me "it's not on individual thing" that's driving the delays, but rather the company "being cautious and thorough."
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/25/blue-origin-over-2-more-new-shepard-rocket-tests-before-first-people.html
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https://twitter.com/b0yle/status/1187082565414522880
.@blueorigin’s Greg “Ray J” Johnson says there’ll be one more #NewShepard suborbital test flight before year’s end; acknowledges they’re “tapping the brakes” before flying people.
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1187088874801156096
Greg Johnson, senior VP of New Shepard at Blue Origin, mentioned in passing that the company will have a program to fly poets and artists on its suborbital vehicle, but no details. Says there’s room in space tourism market for both Blue and Virgin. #IAC2019
Maybe get some early spaceflight experience before a trip around the moon?
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1194294538359185410
Smith on New Shepard's first crewed flight:
"We were planning on this year; unfortunately, it’s very unlikely we’re going to get in this year. We need a few more flights to make sure that we’re all comfortable with the verification ... so it probably will be next year."
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1194294839820636160
Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith: "It will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the initial tickets" for tourists to fly to space on New Shepard.
See https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/12/blue-origin-ceo-on-rocketry-space-tourism-and-the-relationship-with-amazon.html
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2169-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=96512&RequestTimeout=1000)
This application is for Flight #13 of the New Shepard space launch booster and capsule; receipt of telemetry data from the vehicles during flight.
Operation Start Date: 12/01/2019
Operation End Date: 06/01/2020
North 31 25 23 West 104 45 26 Up to flight level 425,000 FT MSL, Van Horn, TX
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NS-12 scheduled for Dec. 10 at 14:30 UTC.
Source: https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1203795335660879872
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Blue Origin's FCC application for Flight 13 was dismissed without prejudice
You are advised that the Commission is unable to grant your application for the facilities requested. The application is dismissed because NTIA objects to authorize the STA request on behalf of Blue Origin Texas, LLC for Van Horn, TX during the period 1 December 2019 thru 1 June 2020, for the following reason(s):
- Due to critical on-going law-enforcement operations
Blue Origin has filed a new request 2326-EX-ST-2019 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=96954&RequestTimeout=1000)
EXHIBIT #1: Information about FCC license request for Flight 13
09 Dec 2019
Blue Origin Texas, LLC
Re: STA file # 2326-EX-ST-2019
This license request is a modification of the dismissed STA file # 2169-EX-ST-2019, correspondence reference number 52157. The dismissal does not specify which of the two frequencies from 2169-EX-ST2019 conflict with the on-going law-enforcement operations. Therefore, on this application 2326-EX-ST2019 Blue Origin Texas requests any two of the five frequencies listed in this application (we do not need all five). These combinations are
• 2202+/-2 and 2210+/-2.5 MHz
• 2202+/-2 and 2216+/-2.5 MHz
• 2202+/-2 and 2250+/-2.5 MHz
• 2202+/-2 and 2272+/-2.5 MHz
• 2210+/-2.5 and 2216+/-2.5 MHz
• 2210+/-2.5 and 2250+/-2.5 MHz
• 2210+/-2.5 and 2272.5+/-2.5 MHz
• 2216+/-2.5 and 2250+/-2.5 MHz
• 2216+/-2.5 and 2272.5+/-2.5 MHz
• 2250+/-2.5 and 2272.5+/-2.5 MHz
We respectfully ask that if there are any issues with the above request, can someone please contact me to discuss this application? Blue Origin Texas has flexibility beyond what is listed above, and we are more than happy to coordinate and alter this application to accommodate other spectrum users. We are resubmitting this application with guesses as to what frequencies to ask for, because we don’t have specific feedback on what was conflicting with our initial application in correspondence reference number 52157.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Bridge
New Shepard Operations
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https://youtu.be/fvky-qa8518
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https://youtu.be/C68OFAJNwBU
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https://youtu.be/fmgEKw7s_ag
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Blue Origin posted recovery video for the payloads on instagram stories
(attached one)
https://www.picuki.com/profile/blueorigin
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Great launch site shots
https://twitter.com/birdsnspace/status/1211430644435152896
I missed the @BlueOrigin #NS12 flight by a few days, but here's the West Texas launch site and a somewhat scorched landing pad. New Shepard 3 has now made 6 suborbital flights. The booster lands vertically on the pad, while the crew capsule returns separately under parachutes.
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Blue Origin finally got their FCC permits for New Shepard flight 13. After their application from Dec. 9 was denied, they tried again on Dec. 20 by filing individual permits for each of four frequencies. They managed to get two of the four approved. The date range is February 1 through March 15. 2382-EX-ST-2019 2385-EX-ST-2019
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twitter.com/joroulette/status/1222646035375382529
Blue Origin's Clay Mowry says the New Shepard team has completed three pad abort tests for their crew capsule and conducted an in-flight abort to test the capsule's on-board escape system.
https://twitter.com/joroulette/status/1222649844944248833
Clay says Blue Origin hasn’t started selling astronaut seats yet commercially, and won't do so until they fly their own astronauts, which should happen sometime this year on New Shepard
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Wow, New Shephard flying people is getting further away ...
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1229478757095874563
Smith says there will be three or four more test flights of New Shepard before Blue Origin flies people.
Won’t do that this year unless flight rate picks up
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These are old but i'm attaching them for prosperity as they weren't when originally posted and i'm amazed the links still work. The crater from the PM from NS flight 1, images originally posted by user 'n5lp' on the vansairforce.com forum.
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Wow, New Shephard flying people is getting further away ...
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1229478757095874563
Smith says there will be three or four more test flights of New Shepard before Blue Origin flies people.
Won’t do that this year unless flight rate picks up
Flights of New Shepard with people onboard are almost perpetually "three to four" flights away. It has been that way for years now.
There is no reason to believe that we will see manned New Shepard missions in 2021.
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https://twitter.com/lauraforczyk/status/1234521528450060294
Oh my! Lunar gravity simulated by spinning @blueorigin’s New Shepard at 11 RPM, says Blue Origin Chief Scientist Steve Squyres. Sign me up! Hi @ad_astra2 yes me please. 🙋🏻♀️ 🚀👩🏻🚀 #NSRC2020
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1234521857807847426
Squyres: we’re planning human-tended research flights on New Shepard. Plan to start with missions that don’t require researcher to unbuckle from seat; once we master it, move on too much wider range of research. #NSRC2020
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https://twitter.com/jackiewattles/status/1239999430897491968
Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith says New Shepard development is still moving.
“We continue to make progress with the test program, going through the vehicle verification process,” Smith told Space News. “We hope to be able to fly people by the end of the year.”
Quite is from:
https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-pressing-on-with-rocket-and-engine-development-as-industry-copes-with-coronavirus/
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1240666469383516160
Jim Reuter, NASA assoc. administrator for space tech, says that Blue Origin is scheduled to perform tests for NASA of a landing laser system on a New Shepard suborbital flight in June, but says that schedule is “pretty unlikely” given current circumstances.
So either Blue were planning another New Shephard flight before June, or June was the next flight after the last one in December.
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Apparently Blue were aiming for April 10th for next New Shepard launch:
The company was originally targeting April 10th for the next New Shepard launch and was working toward that date as recently as last weekend, to the concern of multiple employees.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/2/21198272/blue-origin-coronavirus-leaked-audio-test-launch-workers-jeff-bezos
N.B. Let’s discuss the main thrust of the article - allegedly putting pressure on employers in the general discussion thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43998.0).
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Apparently Blue were aiming for April 10th for next New Shepard launch:
The company was originally targeting April 10th for the next New Shepard launch and was working toward that date as recently as last weekend, to the concern of multiple employees.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/2/21198272/blue-origin-coronavirus-leaked-audio-test-launch-workers-jeff-bezos (https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/2/21198272/blue-origin-coronavirus-leaked-audio-test-launch-workers-jeff-bezos)
“There’s this insatiable drive to be the first,” one employee says. “We’re in a race (https://youtu.be/zdPrOOJgHVc?t=80).”
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Blue Origin with amusing FCC permit requests again. They had a bunch of trouble last time with a normal 6 month duration permit. This time they did a series of two month duration permit requests, Jun 1-Aug 1, Jul 1-Sep 1, ... , Dec 1-Feb 1. I guess that would allow them to potentially figure out what time periods are unavailable.
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From https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/01/business/space-industry-critical-business-blue-origin-spacex-scn/index.html posted yesterday:
The company planned to move forward with a scheduled test flight of its tourism vehicle, but workers pushed back, the Verge reported last month. Blue Origin told CNN Business last week that it no longer has a firm date in place for that test.
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https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1258435823906717697
Despite COVID-19 and a lack of public activity, I'm hearing that Blue Origin is still targeting a New Shepard flight with humans before the end of 2020. What is taking so long? They're addressing a lot of little issues to ensure the safety of the vehicle. No word on prices yet.
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https://twitter.com/space_explored/status/1292847356401070081
Source: Blue Origin targeting September for 1st New Shepard sub-orbital flight of 2020 spaceexplored.com/2020/08/10/blu… by @apollozac
Articles now says Sep 23rd.
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Many of the promising technologies announced today will fly on New Sheppard:
@NASA is once again pushing the envelope of what is possible, selecting and funding over 30 technological applications across industry and academia to test on commercial suborbital flights. Read about the new tech here:
https://www.nasa.gov/features/nasa-selects-31-promising-space-technologies-for-commercial-flight-tests
https://twitter.com/jmorhard/status/1316429753608536067
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NS seems to have picked lion share of suborbital experiments. Only one is using Virgon SpaceshipTwo.
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1323687078362816513
Blue Origin apparently updated this FCC filing for a New Shepard test flight between Dec. 1 and Feb. 1: https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=103494
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Blue Origin has filed four permits, each starting a month apart, for New Shephard flights. I don't really think that means they intend to start launching monthly.
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Blue Origin has filed four permits, each starting a month apart, for New Shephard flights. I don't really think that means they intend to start launching monthly.
Why not ? Actually, has BO ever stated anything on their target turnaround time for New Shepard ? How long does it take to refurbish this rocket, exactly ?
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Licence application for next launch:
https://twitter.com/fccspace/status/1335977393320673282
Applicant: Blue Origin Texas, LLC
Dates: 02/01/2021-04/01/2021
Purpose: This application is for one suborbital flight of the launch system which includes a b(...) https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=103741
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And we now have a date range: this week!
https://twitter.com/spacetfrs/status/1349085750923579395?s=21
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1349822735703277577
Scoop – Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin aims to fly first passengers to space as early as April:
The NS-14 mission was the 1st of 2 "stable configuration" flights, sources say, with the next targeted within six weeks and the first crewed flight six weeks after.
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/01/14/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-aims-to-fly-people-on-new-shepard-by-april.html
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1352263907252072448
We'll have to wait for the FAA flight restrictions to find out when Blue Origin's next New Shepard launch window is, but this FCC license is for between April 1 and June 1:
via @FccSpace
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=104712
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1364237902490853378
Scott Henderson of Blue Origin says during a Spaceport Summit panel that the first crewed New Shepard suborbital flight will be “later this year.” [I remember Jeff Bezos saying “this year” back in 2019…]
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NASA, Blue Origin Partner to Bring Lunar Gravity Conditions Closer to Earth
At one-sixth that of Earth, the unique gravity of the lunar surface is one of the many variable conditions that technologies bound for the Moon will need to perform well in. NASA will soon have more options for testing those innovations in lunar gravity thanks to a collaboration with Blue Origin to bring new testing capabilities to the company’s New Shepard reusable suborbital rocket system.
Currently, NASA can approximate the Moon’s gravity on parabolic flights and in centrifuges on suborbital vehicles – both invaluable options for maturing promising innovations. But these methods provide only seconds of lunar gravity exposure at a time or limit the payload size, compelling NASA to explore longer-duration and larger size options. Blue Origin’s new lunar gravity testing capability – projected to be available in late 2022 – is answering that need.
New Shepard’s upgrades will allow the vehicle to use its reaction control system to impart a rotation on the capsule. As a result, the entire capsule essentially acts as a large centrifuge to create artificial gravity environments for the payloads inside. Blue Origin’s first flight of this capability will target 11 rotations per minute to provide more than two minutes of continuous lunar gravity, exposing the technologies to this challenging but difficult-to-test condition.
This new capability is made possible with the help of development funding and early purchase of payload space by NASA as part of its strategic investment in the U.S. spaceflight industry. The lunar gravity simulation will enable the agency to test and de-risk innovations critical to achieving the goals of the Artemis program, as well as lunar surface exploration and Moon-bound commercial applications.
“NASA is pleased to be among the first customers to take advantage of this new capability,” said Christopher Baker, program executive for the Flight Opportunities program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “One of the constant challenges with living and working in space is reduced gravity. Many systems designed for use on Earth simply do not work the same elsewhere. A wide range of tools we need for the Moon and Mars could benefit from testing in partial gravity, including technologies for in-situ resource utilization, regolith mining, and environmental control and life support systems.”
New Shepard is currently among the commercial flight platforms available for technology flight testing contracted by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program. The program has helped mature hundreds of promising space-based technologies from NASA, industry, and academia by putting them through their paces on commercial suborbital vehicles before they move on to higher risk orbital missions – on CubeSats, the International Space Station, the Moon, or even Mars. New Shepard’s future lunar gravity capability will expand the suborbital flight test offerings not only for the company but for the Flight Opportunities program as well, adding to the specialized testing available for the technologies selected for testing by the program each year.
“Humanity has been dreaming about artificial gravity since the earliest days of spaceflight,” said Erika Wagner, PhD, New Shepard director of payloads at Blue Origin. “It’s exciting to be partnering with NASA to create this one-of-a-kind capability to explore the science and technology we will need for future human space exploration.”
About Flight Opportunities
The Flight Opportunities program is funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and managed at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the solicitation and evaluation of technologies to be tested and demonstrated on commercial flight vehicles.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/feature/nasa-blue-origin-to-bring-lunar-gravity-conditions-closer-to-earth.html
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Seems that testing "environmental control and life support systems" (ECLSS) with artificial gravity (AG) on New Shepard might not only be useful for Moon and Mars habitats but also for a LEO station that has an AG ring or module.
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In theory Dragon, Starliner and Cygnus could also use same trick to produce artifical gravity but for lot longer. RCS fuel is likely to be limiting factor.
Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk
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In theory Dragon, Starliner and Cygnus could also use same trick to produce artifical gravity but for lot longer. RCS fuel is likely to be limiting factor.
Would RCS fuel be a major factor? You need to use some to spin up, and then more to spin down later, but how long you're spinning for shouldn't substantially affect things.
And of course, Dragon 2 has substantially more RCS fuel than any other capsule/vehicle, since that fuel is shared with the Launch Escape System but if you're in space you don't need LES anymore.
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Cygnus would be a good candidate for longer experiments with artificial gravity as it is designed to burn up anyway and has done many post-ISS missions before re-entry. Any orbital experiments are going to be more expensive than suborbital ones. And parabolic aircraft experiments much cheaper then again. I suppose the it depends on what experiment needs to be done and which is the cheapest way to get the same results. All these methods are different niches. Something like a long-term study on the effects of partial gravity on the reproduction of mice would probably be much more suited to an orbital mission even though the costs are exponentially higher.
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In theory Dragon, Starliner and Cygnus could also use same trick to produce artifical gravity but for lot longer. RCS fuel is likely to be limiting factor.
Would RCS fuel be a major factor? You need to use some to spin up, and then more to spin down later, but how long you're spinning for shouldn't substantially affect things.
And of course, Dragon 2 has substantially more RCS fuel than any other capsule/vehicle, since that fuel is shared with the Launch Escape System but if you're in space you don't need LES anymore.
I'm guessing will need minor corrections every so often with RCS. Unless perfectly balance likely to wobble over time.
Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk
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https://youtu.be/BaQrL0ex56U
Take a tour of Launch Site One, nestled in the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas, where astronauts will fly to space and back onboard New Shepard.
https://youtu.be/ZKqpt4g5_yY
Blue Origin has been flight testing the New Shepard rocket and its redundant safety systems since 2012. The program has completed 15 consecutive successful missions, including three successful tests of the crew escape system, showing it can activate safely in any phase of flight.
https://youtu.be/ueCpIpA69ds
CrewMember 7 is a unique role at Blue Origin. There are two assigned to each astronaut flight for New Shepard—one is embedded with the astronauts to help them ingress and egress the capsule while the other serves as Capsule Communications (CAPCOM) during the flight. Learn more about their unique and important role in astronaut training and flight operations at Blue Origin.
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https://twitter.com/claymowry/status/1382408138645663745
Thanks Michael. I had a great time training this past week and going up the tower. So close to first crewed flight.
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1382489425570115595
Jeff Bezos thinks Blue Origin is ready to launch passengers to space on its New Shepard rocket:
“It’s time,” @JeffBezos said on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqoqJBHSUU/
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https://twitter.com/b0yle/status/1407335747204661249
This suggests @blueorigin may be aiming to move relatively quickly from its first crewed suborbital spaceflight to the second one.
twitter.com/fccspace/status/1407332597051625475
Applicant: Blue Origin Texas, LLC
Dates: 08/01/2021-10/01/2021
Purpose: This application is for one suborbital flight of the launch system which includes a b(...) https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=107251
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1407352078297702401
A Blue Origin spokesperson says the below FCC application is for New Shepard's next dedicated payload mission (not the first crewed flight, NS-16).
The Aug 1 to Oct 1 schedule range is also not a launch window, as the application is "procedural at this point."
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From SlashGear: Blue Origin is giving Mercury 13 pilot Wally Funk her long-overdue trip to space
https://www.slashgear.com/blue-origin-is-giving-mercury-13-pilot-wally-funk-her-long-overdue-trip-to-space-01680703/
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Here’s the revised FAA licence that permits flying crew and spaceflight participants.
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1417519441332473856
Jeff Bezos says Blue Origin sales of tourist spaceflights on New Shepard are "approaching $100 million" already:
"The demand is very, very high."
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/20/blue-origin-jeff-bezos-launch-watch-video-stream-live-updates.html
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1432772741166403594
Blue Origin is looking to hire a Principal System Architect for New Shepard, "for a portfolio of complex projects to upgrade the" system "or develop new systems derived" from the rocket.
Qualifications include 15 years of experience:
https://blueorigin.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/BlueOrigin/job/Kent-WA/Principal-System-Architect--New-Shepard_R9727
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https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1438621497648549909
Blue's Ariane Cornell is doing a live event on Twitch and you can ask questions in chat!
twitch.tv/dasvaldez
twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1438632757354110977
Ariane: Demand of the market will determine New Shepard's flight rate. Auction demonstrated there is strong demand.
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1438635601998221315
Ariane: New Shepard refurbishment entails inspections, possible replacement of landing leg crush portion, repack chutes, and possible touchups on the capsule.
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https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-to-increase-new-shepard-launches-in-2022/
Blue Origin to increase New Shepard launches in 2022
by Jeff Foust — February 18, 2022
WASHINGTON — Blue Origin expects to more than double the number of people it flies on its New Shepard suborbital system this year while adding another vehicle to its fleet.
In a presentation at the 24th Annual FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference Feb. 17, Bob Smith, chief executive of Blue Origin, said the company saw “very robust” demand for those suborbital flights that the company is now working to meet.
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https://twitter.com/SarwatNasir/status/1497572920977145863
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Pete Davidson is negotiating a deal to fly later this year.
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1524042589166620674
Ken Griffin, billionaire founder of hedge fund Citadel, last night won a Blue Origin "buy one give one" New Shepard spaceflight seat auction for $8 million.
Griffin will not fly himself, so two NYC teachers will be selected for the seats: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/10/ken-griffin-wins-8-million-bezos-spaceflight-auction-donating-seats.html
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https://twitter.com/jenekuns/status/1535651772458762240
I have a headache after spending 30 minutes looking at scam transactions, but we know now that MoonDAO spent $2,575,000 on the 2 New Shepard seats. There was a fee for the transfer, but a good estimate for the current seat cost is 1.25 mil.
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twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1546496491073699841
I'm not entirely sure about the validity of this, but the $1.25 million cost for a New Shepard seat in 2022 is consistent with what I've heard from other sources.
https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1546496607977349120
Also. Blue Origin did confirm the purchase of seats by MoonDAO in April.
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Great work by Harry:
twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1578372156257280002
I've moved my map of New Shepard capsule touchdown positions over to @felt due to it providing a much more user-friendly and smooth experience (including on mobile!): https://felt.com/map/Blue-Origins-Corn-Ranch-hDmTaXM4TAuo6iLj7KPAEB
Let me know what you think!
https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1578565167750651904
I just added a quick legend to the map 🗺️ https://felt.com/map/Blue-Origins-Corn-Ranch-hDmTaXM4TAuo6iLj7KPAEB
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https://twitter.com/arbowe/status/1585632583563345922
I’m going to space!
As the first Black woman confirmed to fly with @BlueOrigin on #NewShepard, I am expected to be the sixth Black woman to cross the Kármán line – the internationally recognized boundary of space!
twitter.com/arbowe/status/1585632588697591808
This mission comes 30 years after former @nasa astronaut Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992. Since then, there are only four other Black women who carry that distinction:
https://twitter.com/arbowe/status/1585632590475669505
NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson, Joan Higginbotham, Jessica Watkins and Dr. Sian Proctor of the SpaceX Inspiration4 Mission.
I am honored to follow the footsteps of these incredible woman. I can’t wait to fly on a future flight of @BlueOrigin’s #NewShepard.
#blueorigin
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The loss of PM 3 on NS-23 does not seem to have negatively impacted New Shepard getting new customers, nor dissuading repeat customers.
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The loss of PM 3 on NS-23 does not seem to have negatively impacted New Shepard getting new customers, nor dissuading repeat customers.
Not surprising as LAS proved itself.
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Update on failure investigation:
https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1590477667089887232
During this, Audrey Powers said Blue Origin expects to finish its technical review in December of its New Shepard rocket failure. They do not expect to fly again until ‘23. She added the company would discuss its findings publicly after completing FAA's return to flight process.
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Another of the employee focus videos that has some interesting looks at New Shepard hardware.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALVB9G8e2Fo
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Does anyone know if the hardware seen of the tank and aft module are for NS5 and 6 or is this leftover development hardware?
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https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1597267439154495488
Application for New Shepard's next suborbital hop for early next year. Still no word on the anomaly with the previous booster.
twitter.com/fccspace/status/1597220063731679233
License granted: Blue Origin Texas, LLC
Dates: 02/01/2023-04/01/2023
Purpose: This application is for one suborbital flight of the launch system which includes a b(...)
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=119568
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Hmm, dates on this are
today and next two days. RTF test?!
[Edit: Doh! Forgot to read as US date format, so March to May, not now]
https://twitter.com/fccspace/status/1610262250324955138
License granted: Blue Origin Texas, LLC
Dates: 03/01/2023-05/01/2023
Purpose: This application is for one suborbital flight of the launch system which includes a b(...)
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=120028
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I read it as march 1 till may 1st
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https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/ViewGrant.cfm?id_file_num=1974-EX-ST-2022&application_seq=120028 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/ViewGrant.cfm?id_file_num=1974-EX-ST-2022&application_seq=120028)
Grant for File Number: 1974-EX-ST-2022
"(3) This STA is limited to launch vehicle communications for the telemetry transmissions
and reception, no earlier than 1 March 2023, to support a single suborbital fight and
supporting pre-flight and post-landing checkouts on the ground of the New Shepard
space launch booster and capsule. This STA will expire as soon as the launch has
been completed or 1 May 2023, whichever occurs first. Applications for any future
launches, or modifications to this STA, shall be submitted to the FCC for
coordination with NTIA and federal agencies."
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A reminder that this is an UPDATES only thread. Several posts have been moved to the companion Discussion thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49649.0).
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twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1618271818845982722
Lauren Sánchez says she plans to lead an all-female flight on Blue Origin's New Shepard in early 2024:
“It’s going to be women who are making a difference in the world and who are impactful and have a message to send."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lauren-sanchez-interview-jeff-bezos-11674587199
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1618272035200765952
Sánchez: "I’m super excited about it. And a little nervous. I’ve wanted to be in the rocket from the jump, so [Bezos] is excited to make this happen with all of these women. It’s funny what he said the other day: 'Fly fast; take chances.' That’s his motto."
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twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630593154478125056
Gary Lai of Blue Origin kicks off his #NSRC2023 talk by mentioning he was at the first NSRC in 2010, the first public talk by the company about its plans for New Shepard. I wrote about talk with a headline "Blue is a little less black": thespacereview.com/article/1570/1
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630594557313155074
Lai, chief architect of New Shepard, flew on NS-20 last year. "I learned things on that flight," he said, lessons he said he is applying to the New Shepard program. #NSRC2023
twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630597053071110150
Lai: we expect suborbital tourism to dominate New Shepard flights in the future; keep dedicated payload flights at a couple a year. Will offer some new services, like flying payloads on the propulsion module, even on tourism flights. #NSRC2023
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630597611706089472
Lai: We are still investigating the anomaly on the NS-23 flight last September. We will get to the bottom of it, but no specific timelines on resuming New Shepard flights. #NSRC2023
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twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630598885272875010
Lai: the acceleration profile of the capsule during the NS-23 abort matched what was predicted and what astronauts trained for. Need to differentiate between transient and sustained accelerations [given reports of up to 15g's during the abort.] #NSRC2023
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1630599362471395330
Lai: working on an upgrade program for New Shepard, but changes would not be noticeable to customers. Focus will be on the ability to turn the vehicle around quickly between flights. #NSRC2023
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1636096321705635846
Cornell: we continue to sign up customers for New Shepard. Some have even asked to fly an "escape" mission using escape motor. "We have politely declined."
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https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1636097968246800384
Cornell: "I'm not sure if we're going to release the details" of the NS-23 investigation, "it's something that we have to coordinate with the FAA."
"We are looking to get back into flight with New Shepard by the end of this year."
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I have seen that the twitter account of Alan Stern lists him as suborbital astronaut. Has he booked a flight on NS ?
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I have seen that the twitter account of Alan Stern lists him as suborbital astronaut. Has he booked a flight on NS ?
No, he was selected for a NASA scientific mission on SpaceShipTwo. I am not sure what the current status of this program is.
https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-alan-stern-suborbital-flight
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There's nothing that would prevent that particular flight being switched from SS2 to NS or being amended so Dr. Stern could fly on both spacecraft.
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Tobacia Brothers story with views of New Shepard hardware inside the Kent factory. Note the (blurry in the background) BE-4 in the BE-4 assembly stand in the fifth screencap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tuNPfHYMjE
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1666001066020806656
At the #FTSpace event this morning, Blue Origin's Bob Smith says New Shepard should be ready to return to flight "in the next few weeks" as the company finishes up work with FAA, nine months after an in-flight anomaly.
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SpaceNews article:
https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-within-a-few-weeks-of-resuming-new-shepard-flights/
"Speaking at the Financial Times’ “Investing in Space” event June 6, Blue Origin Chief Executive Bob Smith said the company was on the verge of resuming New Shepard launches, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
*****
“We knew very soon after the event what exactly happened,” Smith said, saying that the company has been “working through with the FAA on the process by which we go back to flight.”
*****
“We’re now dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s to get through that, as well as getting our system ready to go fly again,” Smith said. “New Shepard, from that standpoint, should be ready to go fly within the next few weeks.”
The mishap and the hiatus in launches has not affected demand for space tourism flights on the vehicle, with new customers having signed up in the last nine months. “People saw a very safe system,” he said, with “a real abort scenario where the capsule came down fine and was ready to go the next day.”
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https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1701581621810307126
Blue Origin is working toward flying its New Shepard spacecraft early next month for the first time since an in-flight failure a year ago.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/a-year-after-new-shepards-accident-blue-origin-may-return-to-flight-next-month/
From the article:
The company's tentative plans call for an uncrewed test flight to occur in early October. If all goes well, Blue Origin is then planning its first crewed mission since August 4, 2022, to take place in mid-February of next year.
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I think there's something to it since we're seeing a bunch of New Shepard videos being suddenly uploaded and reuploaded to YouTube with a new transcript format:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3NUk1Hv-Kw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vby8qzeWkng
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https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1734619131180204244
We’re targeting a launch window that opens on Dec. 18 for our next New Shepard payload mission. #NS24 will carry 33 science and research payloads as well as 38,000 @clubforfuture postcards to space. #FortheBenefitofEarth