Blue Origin successfully launched a brand-new New Shepard rocket ship on an uncrewed shakedown cruise aimed at increasing the company’s capacity for suborbital space trips. The capsule, named RSS Karman Line, carried payloads instead of people during the 10-minute certification flight. The mission, designated NS-27, marked the 27th flight of the New Shepard spacecraft since 2015, with eight missions already carrying crew members. The successful flight of RSS Karman Line paves the way for Blue Origin to begin crewed flights in the near future.
RSS Karman Line incorporates technology upgrades to improve the spacecraft’s performance and reusability. The new design also features a simplified livery that eliminates the giant feather that was previously painted on the booster and capsule, making it easier for the vehicle to be maintained between missions. This was the third attempt to launch Karman Line and its booster, with previous attempts being canceled due to technical glitches. Despite a couple of delays during today’s countdown, the mission followed the playbook for suborbital space trips, with the capsule reaching an altitude of over 100 kilometers before returning to Earth.
The booster successfully flew itself back to an autonomous landing on a pad near the launch tower, while the capsule descended under parachutes for its own touchdown. Twelve payloads were aboard the rocket ship, including new navigation systems developed for New Shepard and New Glenn rockets, LIDAR sensors for Blue Origin’s lunar landing system, and ultra-wideband proximity operations sensors funded by NASA’s TechFlights program. Additionally, a special payload included small-scale reproductions of the black monoliths from the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey,” carried on behalf of Spacemanic for a special edition printed by Amaranthine Books.
The mission also included tens of thousands of student-designed postcards as part of Blue Origin’s “Postcards to Space” program, run by the Club for the Future educational nonprofit organization. The postcards are collected from kids, sent to space and back on New Shepard flights, and returned to the children as keepsakes. Blue Origin aims to inspire and engage the next generation of space explorers through programs like these. With the success of the NS-27 mission, Blue Origin is on track to begin crewed flights on the New Shepard spacecraft and continue expanding its capabilities for suborbital space tourism.
The successful launch of RSS Karman Line marks an important milestone for Blue Origin as it continues to refine its spacecraft and prepare for crewed missions. With the goal of taking passengers on suborbital space trips, Blue Origin is focused on developing technology that enhances the performance and reusability of its vehicles. The company’s commitment to innovation and safety is evident in the successful completion of the NS-27 mission and its payload of important technology demonstrations and student-designed postcards.
Blue Origin’s dedication to advancing space exploration and inspiring future generations of space enthusiasts is seen in initiatives like the Postcards to Space program. By involving students in the excitement of space travel and offering unique educational opportunities, Blue Origin hopes to foster a passion for science and discovery. As the company looks to the future, it plans to expand its crewed flight capabilities and further establish itself as a key player in the commercial space industry.
