Blue Origin has successfully launched its first human spaceflight of 2026, sending six passengers to the edge of space aboard its New Shepard rocket. The suborbital mission marked the company’s 38th New Shepard flight and added to its growing list of commercial space tourism milestones.
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has completed its first crewed spaceflight of 2026. The mission, known as New Shepard NS-38, carried six passengers on a brief suborbital journey to the edge of space from the company’s launch site in West Texas.
The flight marked the 38th mission of the New Shepard programme and further expanded Blue Origin’s commercial human spaceflight record.
New Shepard mission NS-38 lifted off on Thursday, January 22, at approximately 9:55 pm IST, following a short delay.
The total flight duration was around 11 minutes, during which the crew experienced several minutes of weightlessness and observed Earth from space before safely returning to the Texas desert.
With the completion of NS-38:
98 people have now flown to space aboard New Shepard
These flights span 17 human spaceflights
92 unique individuals have participated
Six passengers have flown more than once
Blue Origin’s first crewed mission launched on July 20, 2021, coinciding with the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
The reusable rocket-and-capsule system carried the following six passengers:
Tim Drexler
Linda Edwards
Alain Fernandez
Alberto Gutiérrez
Jim Hendren
Laura Stiles
Blue Origin confirmed that Laura Stiles joined the mission as a late replacement for Andrew Yaffe, who withdrew due to illness. Yaffe is scheduled to fly on a future New Shepard mission.
A former owner and CEO of Ace Asphalt, Drexler spent four decades in civil contracting before transitioning into aviation. He now flies helicopters and aeroplanes.
Edwards is a retired obstetrician and gynaecologist, an award-winning equestrian, a two-time breast cancer survivor, and a wildlife advocate who has travelled to more than 40 countries.
A real estate developer with over 30 years of experience, Fernandez previously worked as a scuba instructor in French Polynesia and recovered from a serious diving accident.
Gutiérrez is the founder of Civitatis, a tours and activities platform. A technologist and frequent traveller, he has visited more than 100 countries across all seven continents.
A retired US Air Force Colonel, Hendren is a former F-15 fighter pilot who commanded the 157th Combat Operations Squadron. He is also the founder of Hendren Plastics Inc.
Stiles holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences and serves as Director of New Shepard Launch Operations at Blue Origin. She also holds the world record for large-formation skydiving and has mentored young engineers for several years.
Blue Origin has not officially disclosed ticket prices for New Shepard missions. However:
Industry estimates place the cost between $200,000 and $300,000 per seat
This is lower than rival Virgin Galactic, which charges around $600,000
Some passengers have flown using grants or external funding
According to USA Today, prospective customers must agree to a $150,000 deposit when submitting a booking form.
The successful NS-38 flight reinforces Blue Origin’s position in the commercial space tourism market, as the company continues regular human launches using its fully reusable New Shepard system. The mission also signals Blue Origin’s intent to maintain consistent crewed operations in 2026, amid growing competition in private spaceflight.