Blue Origin takes tourists to the edge of space after nearly two-year hiatus

The New Shepard rocket took off at 9:36 a.m. on May 19 (local time) from Launch Site One in West Texas, USA. The mission, called NS-25, is Blue Origin's seventh crewed flight to date, carrying six passengers on board.

During the mission, the crew accelerated to three times the speed of sound, or more than 2,000 mph. The rocket crossed the Kármán line, the area 100 kilometers above Earth's surface that is recognized as the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space.

At the climax of the flight, passengers experienced several minutes of weightlessness and impressive views of Earth through the cabin windows.

The NS-25 mission carried six passengers on May 19. Photo: Blue Origin

Among the six passengers was Ed Dwight, a retired US Air Force captain chosen by former President John F. Kennedy as America's first black astronaut candidate in 1961.

Despite completing his training at the Aerospace Research Pilot School and being recommended by the Air Force, Dwight was ultimately not allowed to join the NASA Astronaut Corps at that time.

Dwight reached the edge of space at the age of 90, becoming the oldest person to have ever attempted such a feat. Speaking about his experience after the 10-minute flight, Dwight said: "I thought I didn't need this experience in my life, but that's a lie. I really, really needed it. This is a life-changing experience that everyone should try."

The launch follows the success of a crewless scientific mission last December – the first flight of the New Shepard program since the accident more than a year earlier.

On September 12, 2022, the rocket and New Shepard spacecraft were set to launch a series of scientific instruments. But after a minute of flight, the rocket reached its maximum stress level, creating a strong pressure on the vehicle. The rocket appeared to emit a large flame. The New Shepard spacecraft on top of the rocket then activated its launch abort system.

Blue Origin later revealed that the cause of the failure was a malfunction in the engine's nozzle. According to the company, on-board computers correctly detected the error and shut down the engine.

Hoai Phuong (according to CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tau-blue-origin-dua-du-khach-toi-ria-vu-tru-sau-gan-hai-nam-gian-doan-post296181.html