Blue Origin has successfully launched the 12th New Shepard passenger flight, taking six passengers to the edge of space on a sub-orbital trip. The crew of four men and two women, including Panamanian attorney Jaime Alemán, experienced weightlessness and an out-of-this-world view before landing back in West Texas.
The New Shepard spacecraft reached altitudes of nearly 65 miles and spent about three minutes in weightlessness as it coasted upwards. Meanwhile, the reusable booster slowed down and made a picture-perfect touchdown on a landing pad near the launch site. The gumdrop-shaped capsule followed a more leisurely flight home, descending under three large parachutes to land in the West Texas desert.
This marks Blue Origin’s 68th passenger flight since its first sub-orbital trip in July 2021, with passengers paying an estimated $500,000 per seat. Competitor Virgin Galactic suspended its original rocketplane to focus on building two upgraded Delta-class spacecraft, but is expected to resume flights next year.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blue-origin-launches-six-passengers-on-sub-orbital-trip-to-the-edge-of-space