Blue Origin

Blue Origin (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab). The company was created in 2000 by Jeff Bezos (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab). The company is currently developing a lunar lander called Blue Moon (opens in new tab) that will make robotic cargo deliveries to the lunar surface, and it is partnering with SpaceX (opens in new tab) and Dynetics to develop a human-rated moon lander (opens in new tab) 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

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.

Artist's illustration of Orbital Reef, a private space station project involving Blue Origin, Sierra Space and a number of other partners.

Blue Origin's private Orbital Reef space station passes key design review

By Mike Wall published

A private space station that Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and other partners plan to build just cleared a hurdle on its path to orbit.

The crew of NS-22 pose for a portrait prior to their spaceflight.

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

By Brett Tingley published

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle carried six people on a roughly 10-minute flight today (Aug. 4) — a brief mission, but long enough to change the passengers' lives forever.

Liftoff on Blue Origin's NS-22 mission on Aug. 4, 2022.

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

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle carried six people to the final frontier this morning (Aug. 4), including a few who notched spaceflight firsts.

The Blue Origin NS-22 group.

Watch Blue Origin launch 6 people to suborbital space today

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin will launch six people to suborbital space and back on Thursday morning (Aug. 4), and you can watch the action live.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster seen at sunset in orange light.

You can watch 4 different rocket launches in free webcasts today

By Tariq Malik last updated

If you're a fan of spaceflight, then Thursday will be a banner day with no less than four different rockets launching missions off planet Earth.

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

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin targeting Aug. 4 for next space tourist flight

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin is targeting Thursday (Aug. 4) for the next crewed mission of its New Shepard vehicle, which will send six people to suborbital space and back.

Blue Origin announced the NS-22 crew of space tourists on July 22, 2022.

Blue Origin announces crew for 6th suborbital space tourism launch

By Elizabeth Howell published

The passengers on Blue Origin's sixth crewed flight, known as NS-22, include the first Egyptian and Portuguese astronauts.

The crew of Blue Origin's NS-21 suborbital mission enjoys their time in space on June 4, 2022. From left to right: Victor Vescovo, Victor Correa Hespanha, Katya Echazarreta, Hamish Harding, Jaison Robinson and Evan Dick.

To space and back: Blue Origin's NS-21 crew wants to go again (and again)

By Robert Z. Pearlman last updated

Less than two hours after they landed from space, the six members of Blue Origin's fifth crewed mission were all sure of at least one thing: one flight into space was not enough.

The six members of the NS-21 crew. Left to right: Victor Vescovo, Victor Correa Hespanha, Katya Echazarreta, Jaison Robinson, Hamish Harding and Evan Dick.

Photos: Blue Origin's NS-21 space tourism mission

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin's fifth human spaceflight, a mission called NS-21, launched from the company's West Texas site on June 4, 2022. See photos here.

Blue Origin's NS-21 flight launched on June 4, 2022.

Blue Origin launches 6 people on company's 5th space tourism flight

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin sent six people to suborbital space today (June 4), acing its fifth human spaceflight mission and notching several milestones in the process.

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

Watch Blue Origin launch 6 space tourists on a New Shepard rocket today

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin will launch six more people to the final frontier this morning (June 4), and you can watch the action live.

The NS-21 group of space tourists flying aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft include six individuals. Top row, left to right: Evan Dick, Katya Echazarreta and Hamish Harding. Bottom row, left to right: Victor Correa Hespanha, Jaison Robinson and Victor Vescovo.

Blue Origin targets June 4 for next space tourist mission after delay

By Mike Wall published

NS-21, the next mission of Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle, is now targeted for Saturday (June 4) — about two weeks later than originally planned.

Blue Origin's suborbital New Shepard vehicle fires up to launch William Shatner, Chris Boshuizen, Glen de Vries and Audrey Powers to the final frontier on Oct. 13, 2021.

Blue Origin delays next space tourist launch from May 20 due to vehicle issue

By Mike Wall last updated

Blue Origin is no longer targeting Friday (May 20) for the launch of its next space tourist mission after discovering an issue with its New Shepard vehicle. A new launch date has not been announced.