Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Outfit Conducts Rocket Failure Test Flight in Texas

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin outfit carried out a test flight that had a crew capsule go through a simulated rocket failure in Texas in support of preparations to launch a suborbital system for space tourists in 2018, USA Today reported Wednesday.

James Dean writes the New Shepard vehicle booster survived the unmanned test to complete the fifth flight and will be retired to a museum following the test that aimed to show potential astronaut capacity to escape the booster in case of rocket failure.

“From what we can tell, that was a nominal in-flight test of our escape system… And again, all astronauts on board would have had a pretty exhilarating ride, but a safe ride,” said Ariane Cornell, Blue Origin head of astronaut strategy and sales.

The report added that the company is working to prepare the New Shepard system to launch research experiments on commercial rides to provide minutes in microgravity and also develop the New Glenn orbital rockets.

Blue Origin aims to launch people into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station before the decade ends.