Defying expectations, the New Shepard rocket has survived its latest flight. Today, private space-flight firm Blue Origin successfully tested its in-flight escape system, which is designed to bring future space tourists to safety in an emergency.
The launch was originally planned for 4 October, but delayed for one day聽due to weather.聽Despite an additional 35-minute delay, the test flight went perfectly.
Today鈥檚 launch was the first in-flight trial of any escape system since 1966, when NASA tested Apollo鈥檚 system using the Little Joe II rocket.聽If something goes wrong during flight,聽Blue Origin鈥檚聽escape system separates the capsule鈥攚hich can carry six space tourists鈥攆rom the rocket.
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Blue Origin has already flown its reusable New Shepard rocket four times, launching the uncrewed capsule into space and then returning it safely to Earth. Each time, the rocket successfully made a vertical landing.
Before today鈥檚 test, Blue Origin聽warned that the capsule鈥檚 motors would jettison it from the rocket with 300,000 newtons of force, knocking New Shepard off-kilter. If the rocket started veering into a dangerous trajectory, it聽would shut off its engine and plummet to the ground in a fiery crash.
But the explosion never happened. Instead, after the capsule separated, New Shepard stayed upright and continued its ascent. After shutting off its engine, it fell back to Earth. Its fins slowed the descent, and its engine fired again, gently lowering it back to the West Texas desert.
Meanwhile, the capsule escaped unharmed. As planned, it separated from the rocket聽45 seconds after launch, when it had climbed nearly 4,900 metres. After some initial wobbling, the capsule deployed its parachutes and landed softly on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The company had previously tested the capsule鈥檚 , but not while it was on the rocket.
Both the rocket聽and capsule will now be retired, and may have a second life as museum pieces.
A livestream of the test is .
