Thrifty Banker
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Investing

Thrifty Banker

World

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launches rocket after failed 2022 flight attempt

by December 20, 2023
December 20, 2023
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launches rocket after failed 2022 flight attempt

Blue Origin’s tourism rocket — designed to vault paying customers on brief trips to the edge of space — successfully launched Tuesday morning on an uncrewed science mission.

The New Shepard rocket lifted off at 11:43 a.m. ET from Blue Origin’s facilities on a private ranch in West Texas. The 33 science experiments on board experienced a few minutes of microgravity before safely returning to Earth.

The rocket booster touched down about seven minutes after launch, followed by a safe landing of the capsule about 10 minutes after launch.

The first launch attempt was scrubbed Monday due to teams working a ground system issue. But mission control didn’t appear to encounter any issues during Tuesday’s launch, and the test flight quickly worked its way through the team’s list of objectives.

Though no one was on board the flight, the success could tee up Blue Origin to restart its trips to space for thrill seekers.

“We look forward to flying our next crewed flight soon,” said Erika Wagner, senior director of emerging market development for Blue Origin, on the live launch broadcast at the conclusion of the flight.

The anticipated return to flight occurred after the Jeff Bezos-founded company spent more than a year recuperating from a failed uncrewed test flight.

A New Shepard rocket and spacecraft was set to launch a batch of science instruments on September 12, 2022. But one minute into flight, the rocket endured Max Q — an aerospace term that refers to a moment of maximum stress on a vehicle at a relatively low altitude where the atmosphere is still fairly thick, and the rocket is moving at nearly the speed of sound.

Around that time, the rocket appeared to emit a massive burst of flames. The New Shepard capsule, which rides atop the rocket, then initiated its launch abort system — firing up a small engine to blast itself safely away from the malfunctioning rocket. That system worked as intended, parachuting the capsule to a safe landing.

Blue Origin later revealed that the cause of the failure was a problem with the engine nozzle, a large cone that directs the flaming exhaust at the rocket’s bottom. Onboard computers accurately detected the failure and shut the engine down, according to the company.

Before the September 2022 failure, New Shepard rockets had flown 22 consecutive successful missions — including six with passengers on board. Bezos flew aboard the rocket in 2021.

New Glenn on the horizon

New Shepard’s return to flight comes as Blue Origin is racing to deliver on another key project: It’s developing a massive rocket called New Glenn that’s capable of hauling satellites and other large payloads into orbit.

That rocket is years overdue. And the same engines that will power New Glenn’s rocket booster, the BE-4 engines, will also fuel a new line of rockets developed by United Launch Alliance — a joint Lockheed Martin and Boeing venture. United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket is slated to launch its first mission, delivering a NASA-sponsored lander to the moon, in January.

New Glenn likewise has an important first launch on the horizon, potentially carrying a NASA satellite to study the magnetized area of space around Mars as soon as next year.

Bezos admitted during last week’s podcast interview that he is “extremely nervous” about the first launch of New Glenn.

“Every launch I go to, for New Shepard, for other vehicles, too, I’m always nervous for these launches,” he said. “A first launch — to have no nervousness about that — would be some sign of derangement.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Israel exploring construction of humanitarian compound in northern Gaza after fighting subsides
next post
‘Beyond desperate’ situation for Christians sheltering in Gaza church, says UK lawmaker with family trapped inside

Related Posts

A significantly larger Hurricane Lee will keep growing...

September 13, 2023

Unprecedented bird flu outbreak spreads to mammals in...

January 13, 2024

Israeli road splitting Gaza in two has reached...

March 9, 2024

Hilary, no longer a tropical storm, is still...

August 21, 2023

China has launched new drills encircling Taiwan. Why...

May 23, 2024

Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ robot explorer resumes operations on...

January 29, 2024

Hamas releases two more hostages as Israel ramps...

October 24, 2023

Princess of Wales apologizes for editing Mother’s Day...

March 11, 2024

Thai court orders election-winning party to end its...

January 31, 2024

An asteroid sample is about to land on...

September 22, 2023

    Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest insights, updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox! Whether it's industry news, expert advice, or inspiring stories, we bring you valuable information that you won't find anywhere else. Stay connected with us!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Popular

    • 1

      Top 10 Countries for Natural Gas Production (Updated 2024)

      April 6, 2024
    • 2

      Understanding Lithium Mineralogy from an Investment Perspective

      September 12, 2023
    • 3

      US Capital Global Facilitates $50MM Financing to Accelerate Charbone Hydrogen’s North American Expansion

      June 6, 2025
    • 4

      Israel confirms it is arming Hamas rivals in operation opposition calls ‘complete madness’

      June 6, 2025
    • 5

      A GOP operative accused a monastery of voter fraud. Nuns fought back.

      January 3, 2025
    • 6

      Crypto Market Recap: Strategy Eyes US$1B Raise for Bitcoin Push, UK Regulator Reverses ETN Ban

      June 6, 2025
    • 7

      China’s aircraft carriers send message in the open Pacific for the first time – and bigger and more powerful ships are coming

      June 16, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (1,053)
    • Investing (2,079)
    • Politics (2,977)
    • Uncategorized (20)
    • World (3,387)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: thriftybanker.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 thriftybanker.com | All Rights Reserved