Kent-based Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket from its launch site Tuesday in Texas, the seventh test flight as the company aims toward offering space flights to the public.
The mission featured the next-generation booster and the first flight of Crew Capsule 2.0. Crew Capsule 2.0 features large windows, measuring 2.4 feet wide, 3.6 feet tall, according to a Blue Origin email.
“Successful first flight of New Shepard today with the largest windows in space and commercial payloads on board,” Blue Origin tweeted. “Wholly successful mission.”
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, also the founder of Amazon, sent out a tweet.
“New Shepard had a successful first flight of Crew Capsule 2.0 today. Complete with windows and our instrumented test dummy. He had a great ride.”
Company staff designed the rocket to detach from the capsule. The capsule shoots into space before it comes down supported by parachutes.
Blue Origin posted a video to YouTube of the test flight.
The company also released a photo of the capsule, which will carry up to six passengers.
People can sign up on the Blue Origin website for information when flights are open to the public and how much tickets will cost.
Blue Origin’s engineering, manufacturing and business teams work in a 260,000 square-foot facility on 26 acres in Kent. The company’s engine and flight testing are done West Texas (two hours east of El Paso) at the world’s only privately owned and operated launch site.
The company just finished building a 750,000 square-foot rocket-production factory in Florida at Exploration Park, an area at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in Brevard County.
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