RSS First Step
TypeSpace capsule
ClassNew Shepard crew capsule
OwnerBlue Origin
ManufacturerBlue Origin
Specifications
RocketNew Shepard
History
LocationVan Horn, Texas
First flight
  • 20 July 2021
  • Blue Origin NS-14
Last flight
Flights8
New Shepard crew capsules

RSS First Step (Reusable Space Ship First Step) is a New Shepard space capsule, built and operated by American spaceflight company Blue Origin.[1] It is the third New Shepard capsule to fly to space, and the first to fly passengers. Its first flight was the NS-14 mission, which reached an altitude of 107 km (66 mi) on 14 January 2021.[2]

History

RSS First Step is the third New Shepard capsule built by Blue Origin, and the first designed to carry passengers. It flew to space for the first time on 14 January 2021, during the NS-14 spaceflight. NS-14 also served as the maiden flight of the NS4 propulsion module.[3] The following flight, NS-15, which was also flown uncrewed by First Step and NS4, tested boarding and deboarding in what Blue Origin called an "astronaut operational exercise."[4]

First Step flew Blue Origin's first crewed flight on 20 July 2021, carrying founder Jeff Bezos and three passengers to space.[5] This made Texas the fourth state to launch humans into space,[6] after Florida, California, and New Mexico. As of November 2022, it has flown five subsequent crewed spaceflights, carrying a total of 31 people into space, including one (Evan Dick) twice.

The New Shepard fleet is grounded as of 2022 due to a failure during the NS-23 mission. The capsule used during the mission, RSS H.G. Wells, managed to abort successfully, while the booster was destroyed. The next mission will occur following an investigation.[7]

Flights

Mission Launch date (UTC) Landing date (UTC) Crew Duration Remarks Outcome
NS-14 14 January 2021 14 January 2021 Uncrewed ~10 minutes Uncrewed test flight. Maiden flight of NS4 propulsion module. Success
NS-15 14 April 2021 14 April 2021 Uncrewed ~10 minutes Uncrewed test flight. Passenger process test conducted. Four Blue Origin employees serve as stand-in passengers. Success
NS-16 20 July 2021,

13:11

20 July 2021,

13:21

10 minutes, 18 seconds First crewed flight of the New Shepard vehicle and first crewed spaceflight from Texas. Carried Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers.[8] Success
NS-18 13 October 2021,

14:49

13 October 2021,

14:59

10 minutes, 17 seconds Space tourism mission. Second crewed flight of New Shepard. Carried actor William Shatner and three other paying passengers.[9] Success
NS-19 11 December 2021,

15:00

11 December 2021,

15:10

10 minutes, 13 seconds Space tourism mission. Third crewed flight of New Shepard. First fully crewed New Shepard spaceflight. Carried Laura Shepard Churchley, the daughter of Alan Shepard, for whom the vehicle is named after, football player and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan, and four other paying passengers.[10] Success
NS-20 31 March 2022,

13:57

31 March 2022,

14:07

10 minutes, 4 seconds Space tourism mission. Fourth crewed flight of New Shepard. Comedian Pete Davidson was originally expected to be on board, but was unable to fly due to a launch date change. Davidson was replaced by New Shepard chief architect Gary Lai. Five other paying passengers were on board.[11] Success
NS-21 4 June 2022, 13:25 4 June 2022, 13:35
10 minutes, 5 seconds[12] Space tourism mission. Fifth crewed flight of New Shepard. Crew included NS-19 crew member Evan Dick, and undersea explorer Victor Vescovo.[13] Success
NS-22 4 August 2022, 13:56 4 August 2022, 14:06
10 minutes, 22 seconds Space tourism mission. Sixth crewed flight of New Shepard. Crew included first Portuguese person and first Egyptian person in space.[14] Success

References

  1. ^ Burghardt, Thomas (14 January 2021). "Blue Origin tests New Shepard capsule upgrades on NS-14 mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Blue Origin's New Shepard spaceship aces uncrewed rehearsal for crewed space trips". GeekWire. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Mission NS-14". Blue Origin. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  4. ^ Sheetz, Michael (14 April 2021). "Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches and lands rocket New Shepard, as it prepares to launch people". CNBC. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  5. ^ Roulette, Joey (20 July 2021). "Blue Origin successfully sends Jeff Bezos and three others to space and back". The Verge. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  6. ^ Leinfelder, Andrea (20 July 2021). "With Jeff Bezos on board, Blue Origin launches first crewed spaceflight from West Texas". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Blue Origin rocket malfunctions, triggers dramatic but safe abort for unpiloted New Shepard capsule". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Jeff Bezos launches to space aboard New Shepard rocket ship". BBC News. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Blue Origin successfully and safely completes second human flight to space and back". Blue Origin. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Blue Origin Completes Third Human Spaceflight". Blue Origin. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Blue Origin's 20th Mission to Space". Blue Origin. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  12. ^ @blueorigin (4 June 2022). "Official launch time was 8:25:02 AM CDT / 13:25:02 UTC. Capsule landing occurred at 8:35:07 AM CDT / 13:35:07 UTC" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 June 2022 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "New Shepard Mission NS-21 to Fly Six Customer Astronauts, Including First Mexican-Born Woman to Visit Space". www.spaceref.com. Retrieved 9 May 2022.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "First Egyptian and Portuguese Astronauts to join Dude Perfect Cofounder on New Shepard's 22nd Flight". Blue Origin. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
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