Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin successfully launched its sixth human mission on Thursday, sending six people into suborbital space.
The NS-22 New Shepard flight included a crew of Coby Cotton, Mário Ferreira, Vanessa O’Brien, Clint Kelly III, Sara Sabry, and Steve Young.
Cotton is the co-founder of the popular YouTube channel Dude Perfect. Also flying with the crew was Ferreira, Portugal’s first person in space, and Sabry, the first Egyptian and Egyptian woman in space.
The mission’s elapsed time was 10 minutes and 20 seconds. According to Blue Origin’s Twitter account, the max ascent velocity was 2,239 mph (3,603 km/h).
The booster reached 347,219 feet after launching at 8:56 a.m. CT from West Texas. The flight marked the eighth consecutive booster landing for the vehicle.
According to Blue Origin, the New Shepard was named after Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go to space. The reusable rocket system is designed to seat six passengers for a fully autonomous trip.
The crew of #NS22 atop the launch tower as they complete final preparations for their journey to space. Learn more about the people aboard today’s mission: pic.twitter.com/Oh67VfBLGJ
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 4, 2022
O’Brien became the first woman to complete the Explorers’ Extreme Trifecta, a Guinness World Record of reaching the world’s extremes on land, sea, and air. She has already reached the highest peak of Mt. Everest and has traveled to the Challenger Deep, the lowest reachable point in the ocean.
According to Blue Origin, O’Brien carried the U.N. women’s flag to space.
British-American explorer @vobonline will become the first woman to reach the world’s highest (Mt. Everest) and lowest (Challenger Deep) points—and reach space. She’s carrying the UN Women’s flag to space. pic.twitter.com/eSmdAof90F
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 4, 2022
Young is the former CEO of Young’s Communications, the largest telecommunications contractor in Florida. He is also a committee member of the Space Coast Coastal Conservation Group.
Kelly has long been a leader in the field of technology. He has served with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he was involved in the cutting edge of driverless car innovations.
The successful launch came just over one year since Blue Origin made its first human flight to space.
“One year ago today, we took the first step in advancing our vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Thank you to the 25 pioneers who’ve flown on New Shepard since our first human flight. This is only the beginning,” Blue Origin shared in a tweet last month.
One year ago today, we took the first step in advancing our vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Thank you to the 25 pioneers who’ve flown on New Shepard since our first human flight. This is only the beginning. #FortheBenefitofEarth pic.twitter.com/64JylnFxrR
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) July 20, 2022
Past Blue Origin flights have included actor William Shatner. The NS-22 launch marked a total of 32 people that Blue Origin has taken to the edge of space.
In December, “Good Morning America” host and former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan flew aboard a Blue Origin flight. Strahan reportedly brought his Super Bowl ring and retired Giants jersey aboard the vessel.
Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin and Amazon, flew aboard the first flight in July 2021. He traveled into space with three other passengers. They included his 82-year-old brother Mark and an 18-year-old physics student from the Netherlands.