Ed Dwight Named to Blue Origin’s Next Human Flight
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, announced that 90-year-old Ed Dwight has been selected to fly to suborbital space on the upcoming New Shepard flight. This mission, named NS-25, marks the return of human passengers onboard a Blue Origin vehicle since 2022. Dwight, a retired Air Force captain with a background as a fighter jet pilot and test pilot school graduate, was a candidate for NASA’s astronaut program back in 1963, making this opportunity particularly special. Space for Humanity, a non-profit aiming to broaden access to space, sponsored Dwight’s flight alongside five paying passengers. This mission is scheduled to provide approximately 10 minutes of spaceflight over West Texas, showcasing progress toward inclusivity in the space industry.
Return to Flight
Following an unfortunate engine failure in an uncrewed launch, Blue Origin’s New Shepard program was grounded for over 15 months. The last successful flight took place in 2022, and the upcoming NS-25 mission will be the 25th flight of a New Shepard rocket, emphasizing the company’s commitment to inspiring aviation pioneers and celebrities. Blue Origin’s history of innovative space missions includes milestones like flying Jeff Bezos and Wally Funk in 2021, underscoring the blend of experience and ambition within the company.
Revisit Astra’s 2020 Rocket Explosion
In a stark contrast to successful space missions, Astra faced a setback in March 2020 when their Rocket 3 vehicle exploded on the launch pad in Alaska. The incident was discreetly reported at the time as an “anomaly,” but recently published video footage confirmed the severity of the explosion. Despite later launching Rocket 3 successfully multiple times, only reaching orbit twice, Astra made the strategic decision to shift focus to developing Rocket 4. This pivot came after the company faced market value and stock price concerns, prompting founders to take the company private. Astra’s future trajectory remains uncertain amidst ongoing developments in the space industry.
Russia’s Plan to Restore its Launch Industry
Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, is undergoing a strategic transformation under the leadership of Yuri Borisov to elevate Russia’s position in the global launch market. The country aims to introduce innovative rockets like the Amur-CNG to replace the aging Soyuz rocket, showcasing a shift towards reusability and modernization. While Russia once held a dominant position in the market, recent challenges with the Proton rocket’s reliability and geopolitical tensions have shifted the landscape. The development of Amur rocket faces delays, with its maiden flight pushed back from the original target. Despite ambitious plans, Russia’s journey to revitalize its launch industry remains a topic of anticipation and skepticism within the aerospace community.
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