It has been a busy month for companies looking to get into the commercial space game. Virgin Galactic has already fired Sir Richard Branson into orbit where the company had its 3rd to the last test before it plans to go public next year with already 600 tickets pre-sold at around $250K per seat. SpaceX has been building its new tower and Super Heavy Booster in preperation of breaking the record for most powerful rocket ever launched from Earth. Now, Blue Origin will be launching Jeff Bezos (Amazon & Blue Origin CEO/Founder), along with his brother Mark Bezos, 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, and 82-year-old Wally Funk (Part of NASA’s Mercury 13 program who never actually got to see space), in New Shepard first-ever flight with astronauts on board.
Like Branson’s company (Virgin Galactic), Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin is seeking to help fill in the demand for future space tourism. A future that is right around the corner, with the possibility of beginning next year (for those who can afford it).
This will be the 16th flight of the New Shepard, launching from the company’s suboribital launch facility in Texas, just north of Van Horn. The launch is currently set for 6AM PT (9AM ET).
You can watch everything via the following live stream (video):
