Blue Origin will return husband-and-wife passengers to suborbital space

marc hagle (left) and sharon hagle in blue suits standing next to each other
Marc Hagle (left) and Sharon Hagle during training for the NS-20 Blue Origin flight in March 2022. (Image credit: Blue Origin)

The first husband-wife team to fly on Blue Origin will make a return to space.

Sharon Hagle, founder of the non-profit SpaceKids Global, will fly to suborbital space alongside husband Marc during a future Blue Origin flight. (The timing for the New Shepard spacecraft flight has not been disclosed yet, amid an anomaly investigation during an uncrewed flight last month.)

"Marc and I are thrilled to venture into space for a second time, but we are even more excited to bring hope and encouragement to kids around the world who dream of going to space, too," Sharon said in a statement, which was timed to coincide with World Space Week, which begins Tuesday (Oct. 4).

Sharon also aims to bring a few people associated with SpaceKids Global to the launch to encourage STEAM+ (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics and environment) participation, the press release added.

Related: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches 6 people to space in fourth crewed flight

The Hagles made their first trip to suborbital space on March 31 aboard Blue Origin New Shepard NS-20, the company's fourth crewed spaceflight. The mission carried Gary Lai (the architect of New Shepard and a longtime Blue Origin employee) along with five paying customers.

Marc is president and CEO of the property development corporation Tricor International, which has developed and owned more than 17.4 million square feet of United States commercial properties. The Hagles' philanthropy extends to organizations focused on the arts, sciences, education and health.

All Blue Origin flights, including crewed ones, are grounded after an uncrewed flight Sept. 12 suffered an anomaly with its booster about a minute into the flight. Blue Origin and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause.

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Elizabeth Howell
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 (opens in new tab) for 10 years before joining full-time, freelancing since 2012. 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, 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 since 2015. 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