Blue Origin flies NASA-funded scientist and space tourists on New Shepard suborbital flight
NASA Space Technology New Shepard's propulsion module makes a powered landing during the NS-26 mission Aug. 29. Credit: Blue Origin webcastWASHINGTON — Blue Origin took six people, including a NASA-funded researcher, on a New Shepard suborbital spaceflight Aug. 29.New Shepard lifted off into cloudy skies at the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas at 9:07 a.m. Eastern. The crew capsule reached a peak altitude of 105.3 kilometers above sea level before landing 10 minutes and 8 seconds after liftoff.The NS-26 mission carried six people, among them Rob Ferl, a University of Florida professor who conducted experiments on how gene expression in one type of plant changes when exposed to different phases of flight, including microgravity.Ferl, a longtime advocate of using commercial suborbital vehicles for research, also sought to demonstrate the utility of such...
