The next suborbital space tourism mission by Blue Origin, known as NS-30, is set to take place at an undisclosed date. This will be the 30th launch of the company’s New Shepard rocket and its 10th crewed mission. The flight will take off from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility, carrying six individuals on a brief journey to suborbital space. The names of five crew members have been announced, while the identity of the sixth passenger remains undisclosed.
Crew Members and Their Backgrounds
According to the official announcement, the five confirmed passengers include Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Richard Scott, and Tushar Shah. Lane Bess, founder of Bess Ventures and Advisory, will be making his second journey with Blue Origin, having previously flown on the NS-19 mission in December 2021.
Jesús Calleja, a Spanish television host and adventurer, has explored extreme environments across the globe, including the Seven Summits and polar regions. Elaine Chia Hyde, an entrepreneur, physicist, and pilot, was born in Singapore, raised in Australia, and currently resides in Florida. Richard Scott serves as a reproductive endocrinologist and holds an adjunct professorship at Yale University and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Tushar Shah is a hedge fund partner based in New York City.
Mission Overview and Past Flights
The NS-30 mission will provide passengers with an approximately 10 to 12-minute experience, including a brief period of weightlessness and a view of Earth from suborbital space. The New Shepard capsule will return to Earth via parachute. The company has not disclosed ticket prices for the flight. Blue Origin’s first crewed mission occurred on July 20, 2021, with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos among the passengers. Further details regarding NS-30’s launch schedule and the identity of the final crew member are expected to be released in due course.
