Insider Brief
- Blue Origin successfully launched its 10th human suborbital spaceflight, marking the 30th mission of its New Shepard program.
- The six-member crew included venture capitalist Lane Bess, Spanish TV host Jesús Calleja, entrepreneur Elaine Chia Hyde, reproductive scientist Dr. Richard Scott, and hedge fund executive Tushar Shah, along with an undisclosed astronaut.
- With this mission, Blue Origin has now flown and returned 52 people into space, continuing its role in commercial spaceflight alongside competitors like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic.
PRESS RELEASE — Blue Origin successfully launched its 10th human suborbital spaceflight, the 30th mission of its New Shepard program. The rocket lifted off just before 11 a.m. EST and carried six crew members, including business executives, scientists, and adventurers, the latest commercial space tourism flight by the Jeff Bezos venture.
According to Blue Origin, among the crew was Lane Bess, a venture capitalist and technology executive making his second trip aboard New Shepard. Bess, who first flew on NS-19 in 2021, joined an elite group of repeat private astronauts. Other passengers included Spanish TV host and mountaineer Jesús Calleja, entrepreneur and physicist Elaine Chia Hyde, reproductive scientist Dr. Richard Scott, and hedge fund executive Tushar Shah. The sixth crew member remained undisclosed.
The crew dubbed themselves “Perfect 10,” noted Blue Origin commentator Eddie Seyffert during the livestream of the West Texas launch.
“There’s nothing like seeing the diversity among our crews, and this mission brought together people from all over the world—scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs, and adventurers,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President of New Shepard. “It’s always inspiring to hear their unique perspectives about the life-changing impact of seeing Earth from space.”
New Shepard, named after astronaut Alan Shepard, is a reusable suborbital rocket designed for space tourism and scientific research. It is autonomous and has no pilots.
“During the 11-minute journey, astronauts soar past the Kármán line (100 km/62 miles), the internationally recognized boundary of space, experiencing several minutes of weightlessness and witnessing life-changing views of Earth,” the company notes on its website.
With this latest mission, Blue Origin has now flown 52 people into space. The company remains an active player in the burgeoning commercial spaceflight industry, competing with firms like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic to offer space travel to civilians. 
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