{"id":17860,"date":"2019-12-12T00:38:31","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T16:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/blue-origins-rocket-ship-sends-postcards-science-and-art-to-outer-space-and-back\/"},"modified":"2019-12-12T00:38:31","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T16:38:31","slug":"blue-origins-rocket-ship-sends-postcards-science-and-art-to-outer-space-and-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/blue-origins-rocket-ship-sends-postcards-science-and-art-to-outer-space-and-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Origin\u2019s rocket ship sends postcards, science and art to outer space and back"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A drone\u2019s-eye view shows Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard spaceship blasting off from its West Texas launch pad. (Blue Origin via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thousands of postcards, an array of science experiments and a couple of art projects took a suborbital ride to space today on Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard spaceship, during a test flight aimed at blazing a trail for space travelers.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s uncrewed flight was the 12th test mission for the New Shepard program, which is just one of the space initiatives being pursued by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos\u2019 space venture. It\u2019s been seven months since the previous test flight in May.<\/p>\n

Liftoff from Blue Origin\u2019s suborbital launch facility in West Texas came one day after weather concerns forced a postponement. Even today, the launch team had to wait for heavy fog to clear before sending up the 60-foot-tall reusable spacecraft at 11:53 a.m. CT (9:53 a.m. PT).<\/p>\n

New Shepard\u2019s booster sent its crew capsule to a height of 346,727 feet (105.7 kilometers), with a maximum ascent velocity of 2,222 mph. After separation, the booster guided itself back toward a landing pad, while the capsule unfurled its parachutes and made its own touchdown in the desert. The trip lasted 10 minutes from liftoff to touchdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a beautiful launch and landing from New Shepard this morning,\u201d launch commentator Ariane Cornell said.<\/p>\n

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Blue Origin\u2019s New Shepard booster comes in for a landing. (Blue Origin via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blue Origin\u2019s main objective was to test the launch system in preparation for flying people sometime next year. New Shepard\u2019s crew capsule is designed to carry up to six passengers on a flight that features the biggest windows built into a commercial spacecraft.<\/p>\n

No humans flew in the crew compartment today. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a couple more flights before we get there,\u201d Cornell said.<\/p>\n

Instead, the capsule carried nearly two dozen payloads \u2014 including stacks of postcards provided to Blue Origin as part of its educational program, the Club for the Future. Back in May, Bezos kicked off a campaign to have kids write down or draw their vision for future space settlement on the cards, and send them in for inclusion on a spaceflight.<\/p>\n

Cards were received from more than 20 countries, and they\u2019ll be returned to senders in the wake of today\u2019s flight. Bezos himself pulled a stack out of the New Shepard capsule and hand-stamped a few of the cards.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a success, guys,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n