July 20th, 2021 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7-20-2021
Wolfe: Commercial launch an important step towards safe and accessible spaceflight.
July 20th, 2021 — Today, launch vehicle company Blue Origin launched a spacecraft called New Shepard with four passengers into suborbital space and returned safely to Earth. The Beyond Earth Institute, a space policy think tank advocating for the long-term human presence in space, commended Blue Origin’s rocket launch and its significance to future communities in space.
“Jeff Bezos’ methodical approach to developing reusable space vehicles is finally paying off,” declared Beyond Earth Institute president and founder Steve Wolfe.
Blue Origin has successfully launched its New Shepard rocket, which carries four passengers, including Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, Oliver Daemen, 18, who is now the youngest person to go to space, and Wally Funk, an 82-year old former female astronaut trainee who is now the oldest person to go to space.. Daemen’s father bid $28 million USD for a seat to space in Blue Origin’s May 2021 Auction. The spacecraft is named after famous NASA astronaut Alan Shepard, who 60 years ago from today became the first American astronaut to fly to outer space.
Today marks the first time New Shepard has flown with passengers. According to Wolfe, “Putting himself and his brother in the capsule demonstrates a high level of confidence in the safety and reliability of the New Shepard vehicle.”
He added, “This is an important step toward making human spaceflight as safe as airline travel–one of the most important goals of space vehicle development.”
About the Beyond Earth Institute: The Beyond Earth Institute is a 501(c)(3) U.S. non-profit organization (application pending). It is at the heart of all related initiatives that impact the success of the space movement with respect to human expansion beyond Earth. Beyond Earth’s focus is on technology readiness, worldwide public support, and related public policy enactment, including recommendations for policy initiatives. Beyond Earth conducts primary and secondary research, then consolidates and publicizes reports to be delivered and presented widely throughout the space policy community both in the U.S. and internationally.
For more information, press only:
David Bullock
701-330-5602
david@beyondearth.or
