Blue Origin is targeting November 22 for the next space tourism flight NS-28
Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, has confirmed plans to launch its ninth crewed mission, NS-28, on Friday, November 22, 2024. The suborbital spaceflight will take off from the company’s West Texas facility during a designated time beginning at 10 a.m. :30am EST. Viewers can watch the live broadcast via Blue Origin’s official channels or Space.com, with coverage starting 30 minutes before launch.
NS-28 mission details and crew
The NS-28 mission will carry six passengers, including Emily Calandrelli, an MIT-trained engineer, science communicator and author. The flight too includes Marc and Sharon Hagle, a married couple who previously flew on the NS-20 mission in March 2022. Austin Litteral, a winner of a giveaway sponsored by the shopping platform Whatnot, entrepreneur James (JD) Russell, and businessman Henry (Hank) Wolfond will complete the crew.
In conjunction with the mission, Sharon Hagle’s nonprofit, SpaceKids Global, has hosted an educational program for young students. The “SpaceKids Global Press Squad,” consisting of eight children ages 8 to 12, will report on the mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and tour Blue Origin’s facilities.
Overview of Blue Origin’s Suborbital Program
The New Shepard rocket capsule system will make its 28th launch during this mission, marking the ninth crewed flight for the autonomous suborbital vehicle. The journey is expected to last approximately 10 to 12 minutes and will offer passengers several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth against the vastness of space.
Although Blue Origin has not disclosed the cost of its tickets, its main competitor, Virgin Galactic, previously announced a price tag of $600,000 per seat. However, Virgin Galactic is currently on a hiatus as it develops a new fleet of Delta-class spaceplanes, which is expected to resume commercial operations in 2026.
