On September 18, 2025, Blue Origin achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of its 35th New Shepard mission (NS-35) from Launch Site One in West Texas. The uncrewed flight lifted off at 9:01 a.m. EDT, overcoming nearly four weeks of delays caused by avionics issues in the booster.
Mission Overview
NS-35 carried over 40 scientific and educational payloads, including 24 student-designed experiments from NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge. This initiative empowers middle and high school students to develop and launch experiments into suborbital space.
The mission also included thousands of postcards from Blue Origin’s nonprofit, Club for the Future, which will be returned to students with a “Flown to Space” stamp.
Flight and Recovery
The New Shepard rocket, standing approximately 19 meters tall, reached an altitude exceeding 100 kilometers, crossing the Kármán Line and providing about 3 minutes of weightlessness for the payloads. Approximately 7.5 minutes after liftoff, the booster autonomously landed upright about 2 miles from the launch pad, and the capsule parachuted safely to Earth about 10 minutes after launch.
Technological Achievements
NS-35 marked the 12th and final flight for the “RSS H.G. Wells” capsule, which will be retired for display after supporting educational missions since 2017. The mission also featured the NS5 booster, which completed its fifth flight after an 81-day turnaround, highlighting the rapid reusability of Blue Origin’s technology.
With NS-35, Blue Origin has now flown over 200 science payloads, underscoring the company’s commitment to advancing suborbital research and education.
The success of this mission not only demonstrates the resilience of Blue Origin’s technology but also its dedication to fostering the next generation of scientists and engineers.
About the Author
