As planned, Blue Origin’s New Shepard made its first crewed launch on 20 July, the 52nd anniversary of Apollo 11’s lunar landing. According to the company, Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen “officially became astronauts when they passed the Kármán...
The final bids are in and Blue Origin has raised US$28 million for a seat on the first crewed flight of its New Shepard vehicle. The name of the winner has yet to be released, but he or she will join Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and his younger brother, Mark, on the...
Axiom Space has purchased three further private, human spaceflight missions to the ISS. This order, made on 2 June, follows on from one signed in March 2020 for its first AX-1 mission – planned for January 2022. With this new order Axiom has returned to SpaceX...
At 1526 GMT on 22 May Virgin Galactic achieved its first successful suborbital crewed mission from Spaceport America, New Mexico. Following its release from the WhiteKnightTwo – VMS Eve – carrier aircraft the SpaceShipTwo vehicle – VSS Unity –...
It looks as if the floodgates might be about to open in the space tourism market following years of frustratingly slow progress. On 13 May, space tourism company Space Adventures announced that two civilians will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on the...
Budding space tourism company Blue Origin has announced that, following a long development programme, it will conduct its first crewed New Shepard flight on 20 July. The announcement, on 5 May 2021, was timed to mark the 60th anniversary of the launch – on 5 May...
