Blue Origin’s New Shepard space vehicle launched on its first developmental test flight last week, marking a major milestone for Jeff Bezos’s company.
Despite the fact Blue Origin was unable to recover the propulsion module as planned, the company is still deeming the test flight a success.
According to Bezos, the vehicle’s 110,000-lbf thrust liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen BE-3 engine “worked flawlessly”.
He also added, “Any astronauts on board would have had a very nice journey into space and a smooth return.”
The main priority for the next test flight from Blue Origin will be to successfully recover the propulsion module, a major point of emphasis should the company hope to ensure long-term sustainability.
