Blue Origin is set to launch six space tourists on Thursday as part of its latest suborbital spaceflight, marking another milestone for the company’s New Shepard programme and the commercial space tourism sector.
The NS-38 mission is scheduled to lift off from Blue Origin’s launch site in West Texas during a window that opens at 9:30 a.m. EST (1430 GMT). The flight will be the 38th mission of the New Shepard reusable rocket and capsule system. Of the vehicle’s 37 flights to date, 16 have carried human passengers, with the remainder devoted to uncrewed research and technology demonstrations.
New Shepard missions typically last between 10 and 12 minutes from launch to landing. During the flight, the capsule travels beyond the Kármán line, allowing passengers to experience several minutes of weightlessness and to view Earth against the backdrop of space before returning to the Texas desert under parachutes.
The six passengers on NS-38 include entrepreneur and pilot Tim Drexler; retired obstetrician and gynaecologist Linda Edwards; real estate developer and investor Alain Fernandez; entrepreneur and technologist Alberto Gutiérrez; retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Jim Hendren, founder of Hendren Plastics Inc.; and Laura Stiles, director of New Shepard launch operations at Blue Origin. Stiles was added to the manifest this week, replacing a passenger who withdrew due to illness and is expected to fly on a future mission.
Blue Origin does not disclose ticket prices for New Shepard flights. Its main competitor in the suborbital tourism market, Virgin Galactic, currently sells seats for $600,000, highlighting the premium nature of early commercial space travel.
NS-38 underscores Blue Origin’s continued focus on expanding human spaceflight operations while normalising short-duration suborbital missions. The company has positioned New Shepard as both a research platform and a gateway for private individuals seeking access to space.
