Related Topics

Fast Radio Bursts
2023 OCT   21
Karman Line
2023 OCT   3
Yarkovsky Effect
2023 OCT   2
New Space Race and India
2023 SEP   6

New Shepard rocket

2021 JUN 17

Preliminary   > Science and Technology   >   Space technology   >   Basics of space technology

Why in news?

  • On July 20th, Blue Origin will conduct the first crewed launch of their New Shepard rocket, the reusable launch vehicle that will send small payloads and customers to space.

About the vehicle:

  • New Shepard is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL), suborbital space launch vehicle that can carry humans.
  •  It is being developed by Blue Origin as a commercial system for suborbital space tourism.
  • Blue Origin is owned and led by Amazon founder and businessman Jeff Bezos.
  • The name New Shepard makes reference to the first American astronaut in space, Alan Shepard, one of the first NASA astronauts.
  • Blue Origin planned their first crewed test flight to occur in 2019; however, this is now planned for 2021, and has since announced that tickets would begin to be sold for commercial flights up to seven people.
  • The first passenger is set to fly on 20 July 2021 having purchased the seat at auction for $28 million.

Prelims Question

”New Shepard” is a space vehicle constructed by:
(a)European Space agency
(b)Space X
(c)Blue Origin
(d)NASA

Answer to prelims question