Blue Origin Successfully Completes Historic Manned Test Flight To The Edge Of Space
(New York) — On Tuesday, December 20, at 9:06 AM EST, Blue Origin achieved a significant milestone by launching its New Shepard rocket from its facility in West Texas. The mission, designated NS-X, marks the company's first manned test flight to the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space approximately 62 miles above Earth. According to company officials, the crew, consisting of two astronauts and one payload specialist, experienced three minutes of zero-gravity conditions before a safe parachute landing. The flight, which lasted exactly 11 minutes, tested critical life support systems and cabin safety protocols. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, stated the mission validates commercial suborbital travel capabilities. The crew remains in good health, and all systems performed nominally, paving the way for future regular passenger flights.