by A Blue Origin rocket will launch the company’s first private astronaut spaceflight since 2022 this weekend. If you’re hoping to watch it live online, you’ll need to know when to listen to it – but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Blue Origin is currently aiming to send six space tourists on its New Shepard suborbital rocket and First Step RSS capsule on Sunday (May 19). Liftoff is scheduled for 9:30 am EDT (8:30 CDT/1330 GMT) from the company’s West Texas spaceport.
The upcoming NS-25 launch will be Blue Origin’s first crewed space mission since August 2022. Flights were halted after an uncrewed New Shepard launch failed in September 2022. The company resumed flights with the unmanned NS-24 science flight in December. Here’s when and where to watch Blue Origin’s NS-25 flight.
What time is the Blue Origin NS-25 astronaut being launched?
Blue Origin is currently focusing 9:30 am EDT (1330 GMT) on Sunday to launch its six-person NS-25 mission, which will take off from the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas, near the town of Van Horn. It will be 8:30 local time at the pad during launch time.
The exact time of Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission may change on launch day, as the company says 9:30 a.m. EDT when the launch window opens. That means the company could target a time a little later in the window depending on weather or vehicle conditions. If the timing changes, Blue Origin will likely announce those updates via X (formerly Twitter).
Can I watch the Blue Origin NS-25 launch online?
Yes, you will be able to watch Blue Origin’s NS-25 launch online. The company will provide a live webcast on its NS-25 mission page, as well as three Blue Origin YouTube channels. The webcast will begin about 40 minutes before takeoff, Blue Origin said.
Since Blue Origin is currently targeting the NS-25 launch for 9:30 am EDT, the live webcast should begin around 8:50 am EDT (1250 GMT/7:50 am CDT). You will be able to watch the live stream at the top of this page, as well as on Space.com, which will broadcast the launch at the same time.
Who is flying Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission?
Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission will send six people into space, most of whom will buy their seats for an undisclosed price, although at least one person is flying thanks to sponsorship from non-profit groups. Here’s a quick look at who’s flying NS-25.
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Angel Mason: Angel is the founder of the venture capital fund Industrious Ventures. He aims to use his NS-25 flight to “inspire children and promote partnerships with STEM-focused early education nonprofits” in conjunction with his family’s foundation, Blue Origin said. He has a dog named Leo, which is short for “low Earth orbit.”
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Sylvain Chiron: Chiron, from Savoy, France, is the founder of Brasserie Mont Blanc, one of France’s largest craft breweries, and is an aviator and skier pilot who earned his pilot’s license when he was 16, according to Blue Origin. He served as a ski instructor for the French Air Force and as a NATO pilot, earned an MBA at Temple University, studied business in Japan and focuses on philanthropic works to support nature conservation and children’s education.
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Ed Dwight: Dwight, 90, is a former US Air Force test pilot who was selected in 1961 to enter the Aerospace Research Pilot School and recommended by the USAF in 1963 to become an astronaut, but was ultimately not selected. He would be the first Black astronaut if he did. Dwight left the Air Force in 1966 to become an entrepreneur and trained sculptor. His seat on NS-25 is sponsored by Space for Humanity and the non-profit Jaison and Jamie Robinson Foundation.
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Kenneth Hess: Hess is an entrepreneur and software engineer who developed the Family Tree Maker product line in the 1990s that was eventually acquired by Ancestry.com in 2003. His non-profit Friends of Science aims to spark STEM interest in students across grades K- 12 increase through hands-on science. and space exploration activities.
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Carol Schaller: Schaller, from Lumberville, Pennsylvania, is a retired certified public accountant and adventure traveler with a lifelong dream of seeing space. In 2017, her doctor informed her that she would probably go blind and she has since traveled to 25 countries; she has gone on trips to Mount Everest Base Camp, the South Pole and to see mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Forest in Uganda.
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Gopi Thotakura: Thotakura is a pilot and co-founder of Preserve Life Corp., described as a “global center for holistic wellness and applied health,” near Atlanta. He flies commercial jets and has flown a wide variety of aircraft, including aerobatic and seaplanes, gliders, hot air balloons and more. He also served as an international medical jet pilot and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, according to the Blue Origin profile.
Six crew members will launch the NS-25 into space in extended seats aboard their New Shepard spacecraft. Shortly after liftoff, the capsule’s booster will separate and return to Earth for a vertical landing so it can be used again.
The capsule will follow a crew into space and eventually make a parachute landing in the West Texas desert. During the journey, the NS-25 passengers will experience several moments of weightlessness and spectacular views of Earth from space through the large windows of the New Shepard capsule.
What if Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission can’t be launched on time?
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Although Blue Origin is targeting a 9:30 a.m. EDT liftoff on May 19 for the NS-25 mission, the company may choose to delay the launch or scrub if weather or rocket conditions cooperate. That means the launch could happen within a short window, usually a few hours, after the initial target.
If bad weather or a glitch prevents the NS-25 New Shepard launch on May 19, Blue Origin may be able to try again on Monday (May 20) at the same target time, depending on the nature of the delay. However, Blue Origin has not publicly stated any backup dates for this NS-25 mission.
As the name suggests, the NS-25 mission will mark the 25th New Shepard launch for Blue Origin. It will be the company’s seventh launch to carry passengers since Blue Origin began flying astronauts in July 2021.
