Blue Origin successfully launched its 15th space tourism flight on October 8, 2025. This mission, designated NS-36, carried six passengers, including a mystery guest who remained anonymous until the conclusion of the flight.
Launch Details
The New Shepard rocket lifted off from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site at 9:40 a.m. EDT (1340 GMT; 8:40 a.m. local time). The mission was executed flawlessly, with the rocket’s first stage returning to Earth approximately eight minutes later. The capsule, carrying the passengers, landed safely under parachutes a few minutes after that.
Passengers on the Flight
- Jeff Elgin: Franchise industry executive
- Danna Karagussova: Media entrepreneur, who expressed her excitement stating, “Oh my God, oh my God!” during the ascent.
- Clint Kelly III: Electrical engineer and the second flight for him with Blue Origin.
- Aaron Newman: Software entrepreneur and author
- Vitalii Ostrovsky: Ukrainian businessman and investor
- Will Lewis: CEO of Insmed, the mystery passenger, who preferred anonymity until after the flight.
The group referred to themselves as the “Space Nomads,” a nickname chosen for this unique journey. Will Lewis was noted as an experienced adventurer who viewed this flight as the realization of a lifelong dream.
Flight Experience and Achievements
During the NS-36 mission, passengers reached an altitude of approximately 66 miles (107 kilometers), surpassing the Kármán line, recognized as the boundary of outer space. The entire experience from launch to landing lasted 10 minutes and 21 seconds. Passengers briefly experienced weightlessness and enjoyed stunning views of Earth against the infinite backdrop of space.
New Shepard’s History
Blue Origin’s New Shepard has been operational for a decade, completing a total of 36 flights, with 15 of those involving human passengers. Most previous missions have been dedicated to uncrewed research flights.
While Blue Origin has not disclosed ticket prices for its suborbital flights, for context, Virgin Galactic, a competitor in this sector, charged $600,000 per seat for recent flights.
This successful launch reflects Blue Origin’s commitment to expanding the possibilities of space tourism and fulfilling the dreams of adventurous individuals.
