On Tuesday, February 4, Blue Origin successfully launched its reusable New Shepard rocket on a groundbreaking suborbital mission. During the flight, the vehicle simulated lunar gravity for approximately two minutes, contributing to the advancement of technologies aimed at future Moon exploration.
The launch took place at 10 AM CST from Launch Site One, the company’s facility in West Texas. This mission, designated NS-29, marks the 29th flight of the New Shepard, encompassing both crewed and uncrewed missions.
Both the booster and capsule returned safely to Earth, although one of the three parachutes on the RSS Kármán Line capsule did not fully deploy. However, this issue did not compromise the successful landing.
Details of New Shepard’s 29th Flight
The New Shepard rocket consists of two stages: a booster and a capsule. Approximately two and a half minutes after liftoff, the two components separated. The booster executed a controlled vertical landing, while the capsule descended roughly 10 minutes later, assisted by parachutes, landing in the Texas desert.
To simulate lunar gravity, the capsule rotated at approximately 11 times per minute for two minutes, utilizing its control thrusters. The objective was to test how space equipment performs in low-gravity environments.
30 Scientific Experiments Aboard the Mission
According to Blue Origin, the capsule carried 30 scientific experiments, with 29 focused on lunar technologies. These tests spanned six key areas:
- Lunar resource utilization
- Space dust mitigation
- Advanced habitation systems
- Sensors and instrumentation
- Small spacecraft technologies
- Entry, descent, and landing methods
More than half of the experiments received funding from NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program, which supports the development of Artemis program technologies. Artemis aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Highlighted Experiments
- Electrostatic Dust Levitation – Examined how lunar dust reacts to ultraviolet light exposure, aiding in the development of solutions for dust accumulation issues in space missions.
- Lunar Gravity Combustion Investigation – Studied fire behavior in lunar gravity, with potential applications in enhancing astronaut safety in future Moon habitats.
A Legacy of Spaceflight
The New Shepard rocket is named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. It conducted its first uncrewed flight in 2015, followed by its first crewed mission on July 20, 2021. That historic flight included Blue Origin’s founder, Jeff Bezos, alongside three other passengers.
Since then, New Shepard has carried nine groups of passengers, the most recent being six space tourists in November 2024.
With this lunar gravity simulation, Blue Origin continues to make strides toward supporting future human missions to the Moon and beyond.
