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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Blue Origin completed its New Shepard NS-26 mission on August 29, 2024, carrying six crew members above the Kármán line and returning both the capsule and booster safely. It was the company’s 26th New Shepard flight and eighth crewed spaceflight. The mission was suborbital: the capsule briefly reached space, but did not enter orbit around Earth.
What happened on New Shepard NS-26?
Launched from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas, NS-26 carried six people on a short suborbital flight. Blue Origin reported that all six crossed the Kármán line, the 100-kilometer boundary commonly used to mark the start of space. The company described the mission as successful; the crew capsule returned under parachutes and the booster landed separately. Blue Origin’s mission announcement gives the date, crew and mission details.
Contemporary coverage put the peak altitude at about 65 miles (104 kilometers) and the time from liftoff to capsule touchdown at roughly ten minutes. Those are reported estimates, not figures stated in the visible mission announcement. The contemporary report also gives approximate launch and landing times of 9:07 and 9:17 a.m. EDT.
Who flew on NS-26?
Blue Origin named these six crew members:
- Nicolina Elrick, philanthropist and entrepreneur.
- Rob Ferl, University of Florida professor and NASA-funded researcher.
- Eugene Grin, businessman and adventurer.
- Dr. Eiman Jahangir, cardiologist and Vanderbilt-affiliated physician.
- Karsen Kitchen, whom Blue Origin identified as the youngest woman to cross the Kármán line.
- Ephraim Rabin, an American-Israeli entrepreneur and businessman.
Kitchen’s distinction is specifically tied to crossing the Kármán line, rather than an unqualified record for the youngest woman to fly in space. The boundary is a widely used convention, not the only definition of where space begins.
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- BEGINNER MODEL-ROCKET-BUILDING KIT: The Blue Origin New Shepard rocket model kit allows ages 10+ to display or launch a 1:66 scale model of the Blue Origin New Shepard launch vehicle. It includes the rocket parts, design decals, a recovery parachute, and instructions. It requires rocket engines, Starters, Recovery Wadding, a launch pad system, and 4 high-quality 1.5-volt AA alkaline batteries for launch use (sold separately).
- SOARS UP TO 400 FT.: Our replica Estes Blue Origin New Shepard model rocket continues the original’s legacy and features a 10.34-inch height, a large parachute, and a projected altitude of 400 ft. (122 m) on a C6-3 Estes rocket engine (sold separately). It is also compatible with a C5-3 rocket engine.
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How the New Shepard flight worked
New Shepard combines a reusable rocket booster with a pressurized crew capsule. The capsule is designed for six people; after separation from the booster, it continues upward while the booster returns to land vertically. Blue Origin says the capsule’s passengers experience several minutes of weightlessness before parachutes slow the capsule for landing. Its New Shepard passenger page describes this flight profile.
- The booster lifts off vertically from West Texas with the crew capsule on top.
- Near the top of the powered ascent, the capsule separates from the booster and continues upward.
- The crew experiences a brief period of microgravity as the capsule follows its suborbital arc.
- The booster descends under power and lands vertically.
- The capsule returns separately, slowing under parachutes before touchdown.
Why suborbital does not mean orbital
A suborbital vehicle can cross the commonly used boundary of space yet still follow a path that brings it back to Earth without completing an orbit. An orbital spacecraft must travel fast enough horizontally to keep falling around Earth instead of returning to the surface after a brief ascent. NS-26 offered a short experience of microgravity and a view of Earth; it did not circle the planet, travel to a space station or provide extended-duration weightlessness.
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- SAFETY FIRST, FUN ALWAYS: Our rockets are designed to be used with the NAR (National Association of Rocketry) model-rocket safety code. Always ensure you have an appropriate launch site, stand back at least 15 ft., insert the safety key, issue a countdown, and then you can let your rocket fly!
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The research aboard NS-26
Ferl conducted a plant-biology experiment funded by NASA, examining how plant genes respond as conditions shift into and out of microgravity. Using Kennedy Space Center Fixation Tubes, he captured snapshots of gene activity in Arabidopsis thaliana during the flight. Blue Origin described Ferl as the first NASA-funded researcher to conduct an experiment as part of a commercial suborbital space crew; that historical distinction is the company’s characterization. The experiment illustrates one use for brief commercial flights beyond passenger experience: conducting research during short periods of microgravity.
Can customers buy a seat or send research?
Blue Origin maintains an official page for people interested in flying, but the inspected page does not state a standard public fare, booking timeline or confirmed availability. An interest form should not be treated as a reservation. The company also offers a New Shepard payload page for research and commercial experiments; it describes short-duration suborbital microgravity, not orbital or space-station conditions.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- EXPERT MODEL-ROCKET-BUILDING KIT: The Estes Pro Series II New Glenn kit offers serious rocketeer enthusiasts ages 18+ a hands-on experience in creating a 1:100-scale model of the Blue Origin New Glenn. It includes the rocket parts, design decals, recovery parachute, and instructions. It requires Estes rocket engines, starters, pro series recovery wadding, pro series launch pad system, and 6 high-quality 1.5-volt AA alkaline batteries (sold separately).
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- SAFETY FIRST, FUN ALWAYS: Our rockets and rocket launch accessories are designed to be used with the NAR (National Association of Rocketry) model-rocket safety code. Always ensure you have an appropriate launch site, stand back at least 15 ft., insert the safety key, issue a countdown, and then you can let your rocket fly!
- WE IGNITE IMAGINATIONS: Since 1958, Estes has created educational rocket kits designed for an unforgettable launch experience. As a family-owned company, we have grown to offer exciting STEM products that engage aspiring rocketeers and the future minds of aerospace.
What NS-26’s success establishes
NS-26 completed a crewed suborbital flight and recovered both its capsule and booster. It also carried a NASA-funded plant experiment. Blue Origin says nearly 99% of New Shepard’s dry mass is reused and highlights redundant safety systems and an escape system tested three times; these are company descriptions, not a guarantee that spaceflight is risk-free or an independent certification of safety. A successful mission demonstrates what this flight achieved, not that every future flight is risk-free or that space travel is broadly affordable.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- INTERMEDIATE MODEL ROCKET SET: This Estes rocket-building set offers kids ages 10+ and experienced builders the chance to make a 1/66th-scale model of the actual Blue Origin New Shepard launch vehicle. The kit includes the rocket parts, decals, and a 15-inch recovery parachute. It requires rocket engines, starters, recovery wadding, and a launch-pad system (all sold separately) for use.
- SOARS UP TO 700 FT.: The Blue Origin New Shepard rocket has a light weight and a projected altitude of up to 700 ft. (213 m) using a C6-5 engine (sold separately). It’s also compatible with Estes B4-4 and B6-4 rocket engines. Display this historic model in your home or launch it on an Estes rocket-launcher pad (sold separately).
- READY TO ASSEMBLE: Rocket building inspires creativity and a passion for science and outer space! Our intermediate-skill rocket kit comes ready to build and requires approximately 1 hour of assembly time. Add the included decals to replicate the New Shepard’s style.
- SAFETY FIRST, FUN ALWAYS: Our rockets and rocket launch accessories are designed to be used with the NAR (National Association of Rocketry) model-rocket safety code. Always ensure you have an appropriate launch site, stand back at least 15 ft., insert the safety key, issue a countdown, and then you can let your rocket fly!
- WE IGNITE IMAGINATIONS: Since 1958, Estes has created educational rocket kits and displays designed for an unforgettable aerospace experience. As a family-owned company, we have grown to offer exciting STEM products that engage aspiring rocketeers and the future minds of aerospace.
Rank #4
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