New Shepard Soars Again

Blue Origin

On Jan. 22, 2016, the private spaceflight company Blue Origin launched and landed its New Shepard rocket and crew capsule in a successful test flight that also reused a space-flown rocket. You can watch the launch in this amazing video. See images from the test flight here.

Liftoff!

Blue Origin

The New Shepard launched on Jan. 22 from Blue Origins West Texas proving grounds, the same place where it would ultimately land at the mission's end. This same New Shepard booster launched on a previous test flight on Nov. 23, 2015. See how that first flight went here.

New Shepard Explained

by Karl Tate, Infographics Artist

Blue Origin's New Shepard consists of two parts: a booster for launch, and a 6-seat crew capsule for passengers. See how New Shepard flights will work here.

Almost There ...

Blue Origin

Another view of Blue Origin's New Shepard booster as it makes a smooth landing at a West Texas pad during a launch and landing test flight on Jan. 22, 2016. This image is a still from a Blue Origin video, which you can see here.

Drogue Chutes Away!

Blue Origin

Drogue parachutes extract the three main parachutes from Blue Origin's New Shepard crew capsule during its return to Earth in a Jan. 22, 2016 test flight. See how the New Shepard flight went here.

Main Parachutes Deploy

Blue Origin

Blue Origin's New Shepard crew capsule hangs suspended under its three main parachutes as it approaches Earth during a successful launch and landing test flight over West Texas on Jan. 22, 2016. See how the New Shepard flight went here.

Home Again

Blue Origin

The crew capsule for Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft makes a soft landing with parachutes and retro rockets in West Texas during a Jan. 22, 2016 test flight. See how the New Shepard flight went here.