Blue Origin's Suborbital Space Tourism Program Shut Down After Two Years. The company, backed by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has announced it will pause its New Shepard program for the next two years, signaling a permanent end to suborbital space tourism.
The decision was made by Blue Origin's CEO, Dave Limp, who wrote in an internal email that the company would redirect its resources towards further accelerating human lunar capabilities with its New Glenn rocket. This move is seen as part of Bezos' long-term vision for establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence and is likely to have significant implications for the US space industry.
New Shepard has been flying since 2015 and has carried 98 people to space over the past seven years, although many of these were brief suborbital flights. The program's success in launching scientific payloads into microgravity environments was a major achievement, but it has also come at a cost - with sources suggesting that the program is no longer viable financially.
Despite its commercial failure, New Shepard offered a unique experience for those who flew on it, including a 10-minute journey to space and back. However, the program has been criticized for being elitist and expensive, with prices starting at $1 million per seat.
The decision to shut down the suborbital tourism program is seen as a positive move for the US space industry, allowing Blue Origin to focus on its long-term goals of establishing a human settlement in space. It also aligns with NASA's priorities, which include partnering with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to return humans to the Moon by 2025.
While some may be disappointed that the suborbital tourism program is coming to an end, it marks a significant shift for Blue Origin as the company looks to solidify its position in the US space industry. The decision will undoubtedly have implications for other private companies looking to launch similar programs, and it sets the stage for what promises to be a exciting period of growth and development for commercial spaceflight.
The decision was made by Blue Origin's CEO, Dave Limp, who wrote in an internal email that the company would redirect its resources towards further accelerating human lunar capabilities with its New Glenn rocket. This move is seen as part of Bezos' long-term vision for establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence and is likely to have significant implications for the US space industry.
New Shepard has been flying since 2015 and has carried 98 people to space over the past seven years, although many of these were brief suborbital flights. The program's success in launching scientific payloads into microgravity environments was a major achievement, but it has also come at a cost - with sources suggesting that the program is no longer viable financially.
Despite its commercial failure, New Shepard offered a unique experience for those who flew on it, including a 10-minute journey to space and back. However, the program has been criticized for being elitist and expensive, with prices starting at $1 million per seat.
The decision to shut down the suborbital tourism program is seen as a positive move for the US space industry, allowing Blue Origin to focus on its long-term goals of establishing a human settlement in space. It also aligns with NASA's priorities, which include partnering with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to return humans to the Moon by 2025.
While some may be disappointed that the suborbital tourism program is coming to an end, it marks a significant shift for Blue Origin as the company looks to solidify its position in the US space industry. The decision will undoubtedly have implications for other private companies looking to launch similar programs, and it sets the stage for what promises to be a exciting period of growth and development for commercial spaceflight.
. I mean, $1 million per seat? That's just crazy rich people stuff 
. And yeah, it's good that Blue Origin is redirecting its resources towards lunar capabilities - that's where the real future of space exploration is at 
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. But hey, at least we got some cool scientific payloads launched into space out of the deal 
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. And I'm intrigued to see how this shifts the landscape for commercial spaceflight... it's like, the next big frontier or something 
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for those who were really hyped about suborbital space tourism, but I gotta say, I kinda agree with Blue Origin's decision 
. I mean, $1 million per seat is still kinda steep, and not everyone can afford that 
. But at the same time, I think it's awesome that they're redirecting their resources towards lunar capabilities 
. It's like, progress is slow, but steady, you know? 
i mean im all for pushing the boundaries of space exploration but $1 million per seat is just ridiculous 
It's crazy that it only lasted two years though, it feels like just yesterday we were hearing about the first flights. The prices weren't exactly cheap either, $1 million is insane 
. but on a positive note, it means they can focus on bigger picture now 
like establishing a human settlement in space... that's the stuff dreams are made of 
The prices were steep, but the novelty was worth it for some folks. Still, financials can be a drag, I guess 
. Companies like Virgin Galactic and SpaceX are already making waves, so I'm curious to see what other players emerge 
. Another bunch of rich people getting their way and leaving us with a huge debt bill 
Please. It's all about lining the pockets of Bezos and his crew 
. The US space industry is just a way for them to make bank off of our curiosity and lack of common sense 
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. I mean, who wouldn't want to experience weightlessness and see our planet from space? It was such an incredible opportunity for the select few who got to fly on New Shepard 
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! I'm all about seeing humanity become a multi-planetary species, and this move feels like a major step in that direction. It'll be interesting to see how this impacts the industry as a whole – we might start seeing more focus on sustainable space exploration rather than just suborbital tourism