Blue Origin

Blue Origin is a private spaceflight company based in Kent, Washington that is working to send tourists to space on its reusable suborbital rocket called New Shepard. The company was created in 2000 by Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com. 

In 2015, Blue Origin made history by successfully launching and landing a reusable rocket for the first time. The company is currently developing a lunar lander called Blue Moon that will make robotic cargo deliveries to the lunar surface, and it is partnering with SpaceX and Dynetics to develop a human-rated moon lander that will carry astronauts to the lunar surface in 2024 under NASA's Artemis Program.

See the latest Blue Origin images, videos and other space news here.

Latest Updates

a space capsule launches away from its rocket atop a pillar of flame, with blue sky in the background.

1 year after launch failure, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket remains grounded

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital space tourism vehicle suffered a failure during an uncrewed flight on Sept. 12, 2022. It hasn't launched since.

Cylindrical and dome pieces of metal are organized and laid out on the floor of a large factory. A long fuselage lays on the right.

See Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket come together at Florida space coast factory (photo)

By Andrew Jones published

Social media post provides rare insight into Blue Origin's work and progress on its New Glenn rocket.

a red-and-white rocket on a launch pad at sunset

ULA delays 1st Vulcan rocket launch to late 2023 after explosion during test

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Vulcan Centaur is now scheduled to debut in late 2023, provided the rest of its development goes according to plan.

close-up view of the nozzle of a rocket engine during a test firing

Blue Origin's BE-4 rocket engine exploded during June 30 test: report

By Mike Wall published

One of Blue Origin's powerful BE-4 rocket engines exploded about 10 seconds into a test on June 30, CNBC reported.

Blue Origin's NS-23 New Shepard capsule pulls away from its doomed booster during a failed launch on Sept.12, 2022 near Van Horn, Texas.

Blue Origin says it finally knows what caused its New Shepard rocket launch to fail last year

By Mike Wall published

The September 2022 in-flight failure of Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle was caused by a problem with the vehicle's engine nozzle, the company announced on Friday (March 24).

William Shatner, seen here in a 2016 NASA video.

William Shatner reflects on his new film, 'Star Trek,' space travel and not attending Leonard Nimoy's funeral

By Jeff Spry published

Variety interviewed William Shatner for his new life-spanning documentary 'You Can Call Me Bill.'

Space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock and citizen astronaut Katya "Kat" Echazarreta have been honored as Barbie role models for International Women's Day on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

One-of-kind Barbie dolls honor citizen astronaut, space scientist as role models on International Women's Day

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Kat Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman to fly into space, and space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock now have Barbie dolls honoring them as STEM role models.

Blue Origin's NS-23 New Shepard capsule pulls away from its doomed booster during a failed launch on Sept.12, 2022 near Van Horn, Texas.

Blue Origin still investigating New Shepard failure 6 months later

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin's New Shepard has now been grounded for almost six months, and it's unclear when the suborbital space-tourism vehicle will take to the skies again.

Blue Origin manufactured this working solar cell prototype from lunar regolith simulants.

Blue Origin makes solar cells out of simulated moon dirt with 'alchemist' project

By Andrew Jones published

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' private spaceflight company, claims it has made major progress in developing a way to make solar panels using materials from the lunar surface.

shaquille o'neal spreading his hands with a smile, beside a table with three chicken sandwiches

Blue Origin teams up with Shaq to send kids' postcards to space on New Shepard

By Elizabeth Howell published

The four-time NBA champion is reaching for space with Blue Origin's non-profit, Club for the Future.

Illustration of the ESCAPADE spacecraft in orbit around Mars.

Blue Origin aims for Mars in 2024 with twin NASA spacecraft

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

The company will launch NASA's two-spacecraft ESCAPADE mission in 2024 with its forthcoming New Glenn rocket, assuming Blue Origin has it ready in time.

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle launches with the NS-21 crew from Launch Site One in West Texas on June 4, 2022.

Blue Origin plans to fly all-female crew to suborbital space: report

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin plans to fly an all-female crew — led by Lauren Sanchez, the girlfriend of company founder Jeff Bezos — to suborbital space in the next year or so.

Blue Origin's bobbleheads honor astronauts Audrey Powers, Wally Funk and Laura Shepard Churchley.

Blue Origin offers new bobbleheads of 1st New Shepard female fliers

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The first women to fly on Blue Origin's New Shepard have been honored with their own bobbleheads. The figurines feature Wally Funk, Audrey Powers and Laura Shepard Churchley.

Photo of a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launching the NS-20 space tourist mission in March 2022.

Blue Origin space tourist launches: Live mission updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

Blue Origin's next space tourist mission hasn't yet been announced yet. Here are live updates of what we know.

marc hagle (left) and sharon hagle in blue suits standing next to each other

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

By Elizabeth Howell published

A launch date hasn't been set yet for the next flight carrying Sharon Hagle and Marc Hagle, who last flew in March.

Blue Origin New Shepard capsule rockets away from booster in abort

Congress wants transparency on Blue Origin launch failure investigation by FAA

By Tariq Malik published

The failure of a Blue Origin rocket during an uncrewed launch this month has members of Congress urging for more transparency of an FAA investigation into the accident.

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle suffered an anomaly during an uncrewed launch on Sept. 12, 2022. This screengrab shows New Shepard just before the vehicle's capsule successfully engaged its emergency escape system.

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket grounded as FAA investigates launch failure

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin is working to understand what caused Monday's accident, and the FAA is overseeing the investigation.

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle suffered an anomaly during an uncrewed mission on Sept. 12, 2022. This screengrab shows New Shepard just before the vehicle's capsule successfully engaged its emergency escape system.

Failure of Blue Origin's New Shepard a reminder that spaceflight is still hard

By Mike Wall published

In-flight failures are always startling, given the dramatic visuals that accompany them. But the possibility of failure should always be in the back of our minds.

blue origin rocket in middle of a fireball during launch

Blue Origin's New Shepard suffers anomaly during launch, capsule lands safely

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin suffered an anomaly during an uncrewed space mission Monday (Sept. 12) but recovered its New Shepard capsule successfully.

Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket and capsule, the RSS H.G. Wells, launches on the NS-17 suborbital spaceflight from West Texas on Aug. 26, 2021.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to launch next space mission on Aug. 31

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin plans to launch its next mission to suborbital space next week, but it won't be a crewed affair.