High winds have once more prevented Blue Origin from launching six people to suborbital space on the company’s New Shepard rocket. The mission, NS-33, was initially scheduled to launch on Saturday, June 21, from the company’s launch site in West Texas. However, adverse weather conditions forced a postponement, and a second attempt on Sunday morning was scrubbed as well due to continued high winds. Blue Origin has yet to announce when the next launch window will be, but they stated via social media that the team is “assessing our next launch opportunity.”
Blue Origin’s 13th Human Spaceflight NS-33 Delayed Again as Six Civilians Await Suborbital Trip
As per a report by Space.com, NS-33 will mark the 33rd overall flight of the New Shepard vehicle and Blue Origin’s 13th human spaceflight mission. Most previous flights have supported uncrewed research missions, but this flight will carry six civilian passengers, including Allie and Carl Kuehner, known for their work in conservation and exploration; philanthropist and beekeeper Leland Larson; entrepreneur Freddie Rescigno, Jr.; author and attorney Owolabi Salis; and retired lawyer Jim Sitkin. The delay adds to the mission’s significance as it continues Blue Origin’s trajectory of expanding commercial spaceflight.
The New Shepard system, fully autonomous and reusable, delivers passengers to suborbital space for brief yet profound experiences—roughly 10 to 12 minutes in duration. Riders experience several minutes of weightlessness and view Earth from the edge of space before the crew capsule safely returns under parachutes. The first human spaceflight for Blue Origin took place in July 2021, which lifted off with founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Dutch student Oliver Daemen.
Yet the delay of NS-33 is a reminder that even the most sophisticated spaceflight activity is no match for the weather. Its next launch try has not been confirmed, but the company’s fourth flight with humans this year is eagerly awaited.
