Blue Origin NS-32 mission launches six passengers to edge of space
Summary: On July 24, 2026, Blue Origin launched its New Shepard suborbital vehicle NS-32 from West Texas, carrying six crew members on a successful trip past the Kármán line.
On July 24, 2026, Blue Origin successfully carried out the NS-32 suborbital mission from its West Texas launch site. The flight utilized the New Shepard rocket-and-capsule system, carrying a full complement of six crew members — the maximum capacity for this vehicle. The booster ignited on schedule, and after stage separation the capsule continued on a ballistic trajectory past the Kármán line at 100 kilometers altitude, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
According to Blue Origin, the passengers experienced several minutes of weightlessness and were able to observe the curvature of Earth and the darkness of space through the capsule’s large windows. The capsule then descended under parachute to a soft landing in the West Texas desert, while the booster executed an autonomous vertical landing at the nearby pad. The entire flight, from liftoff to touchdown, lasted approximately 11 minutes, consistent with previous New Shepard missions.
NS-32 marks another milestone in Blue Origin’s crewed suborbital program. The company had previously paused New Shepard flights in 2022 following a booster anomaly, gradually returning to service after an investigation and corrective measures. This six-person flight underscores Blue Origin’s ongoing efforts to scale its space tourism operations. To date, the company has completed multiple crewed suborbital flights, sending dozens of passengers and payload customers to the edge of space.
The identities of the six crew members and additional mission details have not yet been fully disclosed by Blue Origin and are pending official confirmation.