spacetoday.net: Blue Origin tests New Shepard vehicle, lands rocket stage

Blue Origin tests New Shepard vehicle, lands rocket stage

Posted: Sat, Nov 28, 2015, 4:50 PM ET (2150 GMT)
Blue Origin New Shepard propulsion module after landing, Nov 2015 (Blue Origin)

Blue Origin flew its New Shepard suborbital vehicle on a successful test flight Monday, going to an altitude of more than 100 kilometers and successfully landing its propulsion stage. The test, conducted at the company's West Texas site and announced one day later, saw the successful launch of New Shepard and its ascent to an altitude of 100.5 kilometers. The crew module separate from the propulsion module and parachuted to a landing, while the propulsion module made a powered vertical landing. A previous test flight in April suffered a hydraulics problem that prevented the propulsion module from landing. Company founder Jeff Bezos said a number of additional test flights are planned before it will carry people, likely in two years.