Kent-based Blue Origin successfully completed its seventh human spaceflight on Sunday, May 19, the 25th flight for the New Shepard program.<\/p>\n
New Shepard has now flown 37 people into space, although this was Blue Origin’s first crewed flight since a Sept. 12, 2022 mishap after a launch in West Texas as the structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher than expected engine operating temperatures, according to a Federal Aviation Administration news release. No people were on the test flight.<\/p>\n
The latest astronaut crew included:<\/p>\n
Ed Dwight, a former Air Force captain who was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the nation’s first Black astronaut candidate but never had the opportunity to fly; Mason Angel, founder of Denver, Colorado-based Industrious Ventures; Sylvain Chiron, the founder of the Brasserie Mont Blanc, one of the largest craft breweries in France; Kenneth L. Hess, founder of California-based Science Buddies, a K-12 nonprofit created to level the playing field and improve STEM literacy; Carol Schaller, a retired certified public accountant; and Gopi Thotakura, co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global center for holistic wellness and applied health located near Atlanta.<\/p>\n
“A big thank you to our astronaut customers for the opportunity to provide this life-changing experience,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard. “Each of you are pioneers helping to advance our mission to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth.”<\/p>\n
Dwight, 90, enjoyed the flight.<\/p>\n