Blue Origin, the pioneering commercial spaceflight company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is gearing up for its 35th New Shepard mission. Scheduled for launch on Saturday, August 23, this mission marks a significant milestone as it will deliver the company's 200th payload beyond the Kármán line. The upcoming uncrewed suborbital flight will feature a variety of experiments and research projects developed by students, educators, and university teams.
The NS-35 flight is set to lift off at 8:30 a.m. EDT (12:30 GMT or 7:30 a.m. CDT) from Blue Origin's Launch Site One located in West Texas. For those eager to witness the event, a live webcast of the entire ten-minute flight will commence 15 minutes prior to the launch. You can tune in to watch the livestream on BlueOrigin.com, with Space.com providing a simulcast if available.
For this mission, Blue Origin will utilize the H.G. Wells capsule, which is specifically designed to carry only payloads rather than human passengers. Both the capsule and its booster are engineered for recovery, with the booster making a propulsive landing on a concrete pad near the launch site, while the capsule will descend back to Earth with a parachute system.
Among the exciting payloads on the NS-35 mission are two dozen experiments selected as part of NASA and Future Engineers' TechRise Student Challenge. These studies will explore vital topics such as cultivating plants in microgravity, the physics of liquids, and critical medical research. Additionally, investigations designed by educators through the Teachers in Space program will gather data on sound levels, radiation, and environmental conditions experienced during the flight.
Several prestigious institutions are contributing to the NS-35 mission, including the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Teledyne, and Space Lab Technologies. Notably, Carthage College in Wisconsin will test innovative methods for monitoring propellant levels in space. Furthermore, a Teledyne payload, developed in partnership with NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, aims to evaluate a spacecraft fuel cell system for future lunar and Martian missions.
In a fascinating twist, the mission will also feature 432 sensors to monitor the impacts of a new chemical coating, alongside a modified FLEX fluorescence imaging system that has previously been tested aboard the International Space Station, making its inaugural suborbital journey on NS-35.
As with all of Blue Origin's New Shepard flights, whether crewed or uncrewed, the company will carry postcards on behalf of its nonprofit organization, Club For the Future. After the flight, these cards will be stamped as having reached space and will be returned to the students and others who decorated them, fostering a connection between young minds and the wonders of space exploration.
In summary, NS-35 represents Blue Origin's fifth flight using the H.G. Wells capsule and the 21st cargo mission for the New Shepard program. This mission not only underscores Blue Origin's commitment to advancing space research but also aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.
