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UPDATE 1: Blue Origin’s NS-22 crewed mission successfully lifts off from West Texas

The launch of Blue Origin’s 22nd New Shepard program human spaceflight mission.

Blue Origin has successfully completed the firm’s sixth, human spaceflight and the 22nd flight for the New Shepard program.

The crew achieved three historic firsts:

  • Sara Sabry became the first person from Egypt to fly to space.
  • Vanessa O’Brien became the first woman to reach extremes on land (Mt. Everest), sea (Challenger Deep), and air (pass the Kármán line), completing the Explorers’ Extreme Trifecta, a Guinness World Record.
  • Mário Ferreira became the first person from Portugal to fly to space.

“It’s an honor for our team to provide our customers with a life-changing shift in perspective of our fragile planet,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President, New Shepard. “It’s been just over a year since New Shepard’s first human flight, and we have now flown 31 humans above the Kármán line. Thank you to these early pioneers in helping us realize our vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth.”

View a full replay of the Blue Origin flight at this direct link…

Pre-launch posting…

Blue Origin has announced that the firm’s sixth human flight — NS-22 — will lift off from Launch Site One on Thursday, August 4.

The launch window opens at 8:30 AM CDT / 13:30 UTC and the webcast will start at T-30 minutes. 

The NS-22 flight crew members. Photos are courtesy of Blue Origin.

Additionally, Blue Origin has also released the mission’s NS-22 patch. A few of the symbols embedded in the design include:  

  • The Pyramids of Egypt represent Sara Sabry’s heritage and celebrate her accomplishment as the country’s first astronaut.  
  • The Mariana Trench represents Vanessa O’Brien’s feat in reaching Challenger Deep, Earth’s deepest point.  
  • The crew capsule is depicted as a basketball, symbolizing Dude Perfect’s trick shots and Coby Cotton’s role in co-founding the company. 
  • Magellan’s ship represents Mário Ferreira’s Portuguese heritage and lifelong passion for adventure.  
  • The fish swimming below Magellan’s ship symbolize Steve Young’s passion for fishing. 
  • The stagecoach represents Clint Kelly III’s aspirations for humanity’s reach into the new frontier of space.  
  • New Shepard’s booster and the West Texas mountains are also represented in the patch.