A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas this Tuesday, marking the return to space of the company founded by an American millionaire. Jeff Bezos More than a year after an accident.
Ten minutes after liftoff, a live broadcast reported that the NS-24 unmanned mission capsule, carrying science supplies, landed in the desert.
A return to space is necessary so that the company can resume space travel. Extensive tourism Already 31 people have been allowed to spend a few minutes beyond the boundaries of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The rocket was successfully launched at 4:43 pm local time from West Texas. And his Main motor, reusableLanded safely in the arid plains of South America in less than 8 minutes.
The departure, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed due to a “problem with ground systems,” Blue Origin X said on the social network.
2022 crash
There are no team members at work, however Scientific experimentsMore than half of these were developed with support from NASA.
The capsule with this equipment landed in the desert 10 minutes after takeoff, and flew for a few moments after crossing the boundary of space. 107 kilometers above the earth.
Due to an accident in September 2022 Volume drop Of a rocket that was not carrying passengers at the time.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation, which concluded in September accident This was due to “higher than expected temperatures at the engine end”.
In order to resume flights, the FAA He asked the company to make changes. For example, modifying the design of some mechanical components.
The regulator confirmed to AFP that it had approved the modified air license submitted by Blue Origin.
New horizons
Overall, the company has produced Six crew flights (Some passengers were paying customers, others flew as guests) Beginning in July 2021, Bezos participated in the first of them.
Around the time Blue Origin was founded, its rival Virgin Galactic was founded by a British millionaire. Richard BransonThis year it has progressed with five commercial flights.
The two companies compete in the growing space tourism industry, operating in subspace.
However, each company’s methods are different. Blue Origin launches a small rocket vertically. Meanwhile, Virgin Galactic uses a large Airplane To reach an altitude to assemble a small ship propelled by a rocket that completes space travel.
In both cases, passengers experience a few moments of weightlessness and can contemplate the Earth through large windows.
Tickets Virgin Galactic They sold for $200,000 to $450,000. Blue Origin did not disclose prices.
Bezos’ company can boast that almost its entire rocket platform is reusable, including the booster, capsule, engine, landing gear and parachutes.
Its engine runs on liquid oxygen and hydrogen, which is the only byproduct during flight Water vaporWithout carbon emissions.
Blue Origin is developing a heavy rocket for commercial purposes New GlenIts first flight is scheduled for next year.
This rocket that measures 98 meters highDesigned to carry payloads weighing 45 metric tons into low Earth orbit.
