Blue Origin NS-36
Planned sub-orbital spaceflight with six passengers; launch date not yet publicly confirmed.
Léon Bollack · Public domain
Blue Origin’s NS-36 mission, a sub-orbital flight under the New Shepard space tourism program, is a planned flight from Launch Site One (Corn Ranch) in West Texas. As of the latest available information, the launch date has not been publicly confirmed, and the mission has not yet occurred. This flight would be the 15th crewed mission and the 36th overall for the New Shepard program.
The six passengers include Jeff Elgin, an executive in the franchise industry; Danna Karagussova, an entrepreneur with experience in media, distribution, and events; Clint Kelly III, an electrical engineer with a Bachelor of Science from Duke University and a PhD from the University of Michigan who has led government and industry R&D in computer science and robotics (this would be his first spaceflight); Aaron C. Newman, a serial entrepreneur and explorer; Vitalii Ostrovsky, a Ukrainian businessman, hotel and real estate investor, systems analyst, web developer, and frequent traveler; and William Lewis, who requested anonymity until after the flight.
No science collaboration with Utah State University has been publicly confirmed for this flight.
Quick Facts
- Mission Type
- Sub-orbital human spaceflight
- Mission Duration
- 10 minutes, 21 seconds
- Suborbital Apogee
- 107 km
- Spacecraft
- RSS First Step
- Manufacturer
- Blue Origin
- Crew Size
- 6
- Crew Members
- Jeff Elgin · Danna Karagussova · Clint Kelly III · Aaron Charles Newman · Vitalii Ostrovsky · William H. Lewis
- Launch Date
- October 8, 2025, 13:40:27 UTC
- Launch Rocket
- New Shepard (NS4)
- Launch Site
- Corn Ranch, LS‑1
- Landing Date
- October 8, 2025, 13:50:48 UTC
- Landing Site
- Corn Ranch
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The flight's passengers include Jeff Elgin, an executive in the franchise industry; Danna Karagussova, an entrepreneur in media, distribution, and events; Clint Kelly III, an electrical engineer with a PhD from the University of Michigan who led government and industry R&D in computer science and robotics (this would be his first flight to space); Aaron C. Newman, a serial entrepreneur and explorer; Vitalii Ostrovsky, a Ukrainian businessman, hotel and real estate investor, systems analyst, and web developer; and William Lewis, who asked to remain anonymous until after the flight.
Reader's Guide
Blue Origin NS-36 continued the company's commercial space tourism operations, marking the 15th human flight of the New Shepard program. The mission carried a diverse group of passengers, including repeat space traveler Clint Kelly III. In collaboration with Utah State University led by principal investigator Chris Dakin, passenger Aaron Newman participated in a study focused on human adaptation to spaceflight, particularly vestibular function and motion sickness. This research contributed to understanding how the human body responds to sub-orbital spaceflight. The flight launched from Blue Origin's West Texas facility, maintaining the company's cadence of sub-orbital tourism missions.
Did You Know?
- NS-36 would be the 15th human flight and 36th overall flight of the New Shepard program if launched as planned.
- Clint Kelly III would be on his first flight to space.
- Passenger William Lewis requested anonymity until after the flight.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blue Origin NS-36?
NS-36 is a planned suborbital spaceflight under Blue Origin's New Shepard tourism program. It is designated as the program's 15th crewed mission and 36th total flight. As of the latest available information, the mission has not yet taken place.
When is Blue Origin NS-36 scheduled to launch?
No launch date or time has been publicly confirmed for this mission. Blue Origin has not released a specific schedule, so the flight remains in a pre-announcement status.
Who are the passengers on Blue Origin NS-36?
The confirmed roster of six private space tourists includes Jeff Elgin, a franchise-industry executive; Danna Karagussova, an entrepreneur in media and events; and Clint Kelly III, an electrical engineer. All six are civilian participants rather than professional astronauts.
Where does Blue Origin NS-36 launch from?
The flight is planned to depart from Launch Site One at the Corn Ranch facility in West Texas. This is the same pad Blue Origin uses for every New Shepard suborbital mission.
How does Blue Origin NS-36 fit into the broader New Shepard program?
NS-36 would mark the 36th overall flight and the 15th crewed mission in the New Shepard lineup. It continues the program's pattern of short, roughly ten-minute trips past the Kármán line for private space tourists.
More in Suborbital human spaceflights 1-24
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