Blue Origin successfully launched six passengers to the edge of space Sunday morning, marking the company's 13th crewed suborbital flight and resuming its space tourism operations after weather delays forced two postponements over the past week.
The New Shepard rocket lifted off at 9:40 a.m. CDT from the company's West Texas launch facility, carrying a crew that included a married couple and making one passenger the 750th person in history to reach space.
The NS-33 mission lasted approximately 10 minutes, with passengers experiencing several minutes of weightlessness after crossing the Kármán line at about 104 kilometers above Earth12. The crew included environmentalist Allie Kuehner and her husband Carl Kuehner, chairman of real estate firm Building and Land Technology, who became the second married couple to fly together on Blue Origin2.
Carl Kuehner achieved a dual milestone, becoming both Blue Origin's 70th space traveler and the 750th person ever to reach space, according to the Association of Space Explorers' Registry of Space Travelers1. The other passengers were philanthropist Leland Larson, entrepreneur Freddie Rescigno Jr., attorney Owolabi Salis, and retired lawyer James Sitkin1.
Both the crew capsule and booster rocket landed safely, with the capsule touching down closer to the booster's landing pad than any previous Blue Origin mission due to low winds3.
The flight represents Blue Origin's third crewed mission since April, when the company flew an all-female crew that included singer Katy Perry, CBS journalist Gayle King, and Lauren Sanchez, now married to Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos12. That mission drew criticism for its celebrity focus and timing amid economic challenges3.
Blue Origin has now launched 74 passengers total, including four who have flown twice, since beginning crewed operations in July 20214. The company generates revenue through ticket sales, with the New Shepard program bringing in over $100 million by June 20225.
The mission follows a challenging period for Blue Origin, which grounded its New Shepard fleet for six months after an engine failure during an uncrewed flight in September 20221. The company resumed operations in December 2023 and has maintained a steady monthly launch pace in 20252.
"One thing this crew shares in common is an appreciation of our planet's beauty and the need to preserve it for future generations," said Audrey Powers, Blue Origin's VP of Mission and Flight Operations3.
