Skip to main content
Space Space
Subscribe
RSS
All About Space Magazine
All About Space Magazine
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe and get a £10 Amazon Gift Card!
  • Jam packed issues filled with the latest cutting-edge research, technology and theories delivered in an entertaining and visually stunning way, aiming to educate and inspire readers of all ages
  • Engaging articles, breathtaking images and expert knowledge
  • Issues delivered straight to your door
From$3.99
View Deal
  • News
  • Astronomy
  • Spaceflight
  • The Moon
  • Our Solar System
  • Skywatching
  • More
    • Videos
    • Search for LIfe
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Reference
    • SpaceX
    • Expert Voices
    • Forums
    • All Topics
    • Subscribe to "All About Space" Magazine!
    • Space.com Store
    • About Us
    • Web Notifications
Trending
  • 'Lightning' on Venus?
  • Space Economy Summit Oct. 11-12
  • Next Full Moon
  • Best Telescopes
  • Best Star Projectors
  • Space Calendar
  • Best Binoculars
  • Lego Star Wars deals
  • Best Drones
  • Solar System Planets
  • Night Sky Tonight
  • Russia-Ukraine war space impacts

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. References
  2. Spaceflight

Launch photos: Blue Origin's NS-22 spaceflight sends 6 space tourists off Earth

By Elizabeth Howell
published 9 August 2022

The crew included the first people from Egypt and Portugal to reach space.

(Image credit: Blue Origin)

Blue Origin sent another set of tourists into space on Aug. 4. 2022. The sixth spaceflight by Blue Origin put six individuals into suborbital space and safely returned them to their home planet. 

The crew spent 11 minutes in space and a few minutes floating in microgravity before parachuting back to Earth. The New Shepard rocket landed separately and successfully.

Follow along with the mission, from launch to landing, in this gallery.

Read more: Blue Origin launches 6 people on company's 6th space tourism mission

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

Blue Origin's NS-22 passenger group in front of the New Shepard spacecraft before the mission.

The six folks on board were Coby Cotton, one of the founders of the popular YouTube channel Dude Perfect; entrepreneur Mário Ferreira and biomedical  engineer Sara Sabry, who became the first people from Portugal and Egypt, respectively, to reach space; technology pioneer Clint Kelly III; telecommunications executive (not former NFL quarterback) Steve Young; and adventurer Vanessa O'Brien.

Read more: Blue Origin announces crew for 6th suborbital space tourism launch

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

The NS-22 crew proceeds to its launch site in South Texas in local vehicles. Blue Origin typically offers about 14 hours of training for its crews, which usually fly with no spaceflight experience whatsoever.

The company also has not yet disclosed tickets for its seats. Competitor Virgin Galactic sells seats at $450,000 apiece. (Virgin is upgrading its fleet following a successful human spaceflight on July 20, 2021 with founder Richard Branson, and plans to run trips again in 2023.)

Read more: Here's how Blue Origin trained Jeff Bezos and his crew for an 11-minute launch into space

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

The NS-22 mission lifts off at about 9:57 a.m. EDT (1357 GMT) from South Texas. The New Shepard rocket both launches the crew and lands autonomously after the launch.

Overall, Blue Origin has made 22 flights, both crewed and uncrewed, to the final frontier. New Shepard is named after Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut to reach space. (Shepard's daughter, Laura Shepard Churchley, flew on another Blue Origin flight in December 2021.)

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

Passengers aboard NS-22 float in space. The rocket allows the New Shepard spacecraft to achieve a parabolic flight, which puts the passengers into weightlessness for a few minutes, like a roller coaster.

The passengers get to float around for a few minutes and look at Earth through the window. No pilot flies on board, as the system is autonomous and Blue Origin prefers to reserve seats for revenue-generating opportunities.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

Clint Kelly III, who is credited with creating technology that forms the basis of today's driverless cars, enjoys the view during NS-22.

"I was struck by it like everyone else," Kelly said, after the spaceflight, of what he saw. "The transition from blue to purple to black. And when that occurred, I realized I was in a new place. So I was at the gateway to the new frontier."

Read more: 'Woohoo! We're not going to die!' Blue Origin space tourists celebrate successful mission

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

The NS-22 crew descends safely to Earth in the New Shepard spacecraft, underneath its parachutes. As the spacecraft descended, one of the passengers shouted "Woohoo! We're not going to die. Our poor families," in comments broadcasted on the Blue Origin livestream.

After a pause, a Blue Origin webcaster reassured viewers the passenger was "living in the moment" during an otherwise successful descent.

Read more: 'Woohoo! We're not going to die!' Blue Origin space tourists celebrate successful mission

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

A view from above captures the parachutes above the New Shepard spacecraft just moments before the vehicle touched down in the Texan desert and kicked up dust. The six passengers then awaited recovery personnel from Blue Origin before they emerged from the spacecraft to greet friends and family.

Read more: New Shepard: Rocket for space tourism

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

The New Shepard spacecraft in the minutes before recovery personnel arrived. In the background you can see the convoy of technicians and well-wishers arriving at the landing site to greet the crew.

Typically, family members and friends of the crew head out to the spacecraft after landing to take celebratory pictures with the returned passengers.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
(Image credit: Blue Origin)

The six passengers of NS-22 hold up various flags after returning back to Earth. Notably, this set of individuals included Mário Ferreira and Sara Sabry, who became the first people from Portugal and Egypt, respectively, to reach space. 

The other passengers included Coby Cotton, one of the founders of the popular YouTube channel Dude Perfect; technology pioneer Clint Kelly III; telecommunications executive (not former NFL quarterback) Steve Young; and Vanessa O'Brien.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

More about spaceflight
a silver-white space plane fires its rocket engine with the curve of earth and the blackness of space in the background.

Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic's 4th commercial spaceflight launching on Oct. 6

a pink-suited astronaut holding a water bottle and briefcase

World Space Week 2023 kicks off Oct. 4 to highlight the growing private space economy

Latest
a big silver rocket stands beneath a cloud-studded blue sky, with a turquoise bay in the foreground.

SpaceX's giant Starship vehicle towers above turquoise waters in gorgeous photo

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Best alien invasion games of all time

By Fran RuizSeptember 01, 2023

What are fast radio bursts?

By Robert LeaAugust 31, 2023

Everything we know about Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

By Fran RuizAugust 30, 2023

Star Wars timeline: From the dawn of the Jedi to the New Jedi Order

By Fran RuizAugust 29, 2023

Contrails: What are they and how do they form?

By Stefanie WaldekAugust 27, 2023

Everything we know about Star Wars Outlaws

By Fran RuizAugust 25, 2023

Who is Sabine Wren?

By Fran RuizAugust 24, 2023

What's the difference between a total solar eclipse and an annular solar eclipse?

By Jamie CarterAugust 22, 2023

Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn?

By Fran RuizAugust 21, 2023

Who is Ahsoka Tano?

By Fran RuizAugust 21, 2023

How did supermassive black holes get so big so fast just after the Big Bang?

By Robert LeaAugust 17, 2023

  1. two clusters of sparkling light radiate purple streaks across a black canvas
    1
    The James Webb Space Telescope's early galaxy images were oddly bright. Now we know why
  2. 2
    Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic's 4th commercial spaceflight launching on Oct. 6
  3. 3
    NASA's Eclipse Explorer 2023 lets you track the Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse with new interactive map
  4. 4
    James Webb Space Telescope's stunning mosaic of Orion Nebula uncovers rogue planets (photos)
  5. 5
    World Space Week 2023 kicks off Oct. 4 to highlight the growing private space economy

Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Topics
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.