365NEWSX
365NEWSX
Subscribe

Welcome

Blue Origin launches and lands the 13th test flight of its space tourism rocket New Shepard - CNBC

Blue Origin launches and lands the 13th test flight of its space tourism rocket New Shepard - CNBC

Blue Origin launches and lands the 13th test flight of its space tourism rocket New Shepard - CNBC
Oct 13, 2020 1 min, 10 secs

Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin on Tuesday conducted the latest test flight of its rocket New Shepard at its facility in the West Texas desert.

Known as NS-13, this mission was the 13th test flight of the system – as well as a record seventh consecutive launch for the rocket booster carrying the capsule, as it has landed six times after prior missions.

Blue Origin said there are 12 payloads on board from paying customers, most notably NASA's SPLICE ("Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution") technology demonstration.

The goal of the SPICE technology is to allow a spacecraft to land autonomously on the Moon's surface within about 300 feet of its intended target, which NASA describes as a "high accuracy landing." Blue Origin said that NS-13 is the first of two planned flights with the SPLICE demonstrator on board.

As the company flew three New Shepard flights last year, the nine month hiatus is unusual – but Blue Origin received internal push back from employees when it planned to conduct a mission shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., The Verge reported in April.

The company has yet to fly passengers on its rockets, with CEO Bob Smith earlier this year saying the company's New Shepard rocket will need to fly three or four more test flights before it puts people on board.

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

RECENT NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Get monthly updates and free resources.

CONNECT WITH US

© Copyright 2024 365NEWSX - All RIGHTS RESERVED