![]() In the leadup to launch, there had been some frosty back and forth between Bezos' Blue Origin and Branson's Virgin Galactic. The NS-16 crew bumped around the capsule in microgravity, flinging ping pong balls at each other. When the as-yet-unannounced winner of the auction pulled out due to "scheduling conflicts," Daemen got the callup. His father, owner of a Dutch private equity firm, placed a bid to nab a seat on New Shepard, but pulled out as the value crept up. Sitting next to her on the journey, but on the other side of the generational gap, was 18-year-old Oliver Daemen. She thanked Jeff Bezos, turning and kissing him on the cheek. "I loved it," Funk said at a post-flight conference. Today, she became the oldest person to visit space. The program was canned in 1962, and Funk's space dreams were put on hold. ![]() Funk volunteered to take part in the privately funded Women in Space Program in the 1960s, undergoing the same physiological assessments as America's first male astronauts. While much has been made of Bezos' journey - and, sure, he bankrolled the endeavor - but it was a truly momentous occasion for 82-year-old Mary "Wally" Funk, who had been dreaming of going to space for longer than Bezos has been alive. The historic feat came just 11 days after Richard Branson's flight on the Virgin Galactic spaceplane on July 9. "I am unbelievably good," Bezos said after touchdown, responding to a check by CapCom. Blue OriginĪt approximately eight minutes and 30 seconds after flight, the capsule's parachutes deployed and brought the capsule safely to land. ![]() (L-R) Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, Oliver Daemen, Wally Funk. Information gathered from El Paso Times' Briana Sanchez, Las Cruces Sun-News' Algernon D'Ammassa and Florida Today's Emre Kelly.The crew of NS-16, the first crewed flight for Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The crew, including Bezos brothers, Daemen, and Funk headed to the launch pad at about 6:18 a.m. Algernon D'Ammassa Crew head to the launch pad About 20 people had trickled in around 7 a.m. Young Auditorium in Van Horn to watch the Blue Origin space launch. People have begun gathering in the Karen D. Emre Kelly Locals ready to see rocket launch into space the New Shepard rocket is go for launch in 11 minutes. The crew of the New Shepard rocket, which includes billionaire Jeff Bezos, has successfully launched from Van Horn, Texas. The crew capsule has landed back on Earth. The New Shepard rocket touched down in Van Horn at 7:20 a.m. The crew could be heard chatting with excitement in the capsule with Bezos calling it the 'best day ever.' Rocket safely lands, flight successful The crew has safely exited the capsule after the New Shepard rocket's successful space flight. The New Shepard rocket's journey lasted just more than 10 minutes and traveled more than 2,200 miles per hour, according to Blue Origin. The explosion from the rocket's launch could also clearly be heard.īlue Origin releases stats on space flight The launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket was visible from the Van Horn area, clearly visible from Highway 54, 20 minutes from the town. Space launch was visible from Van Horn area The crew took multiple poignant items with them into space: a piece of canvas from the Wright brothers' plane, a bronze medallion from the first hot air balloon flight and Amilia Earhart's goggles. ![]() The crew members received pins from Blue Origin for their successful space launch. Funk promised more to come after her medal and blew kisses to the audience. The crew consisted of Bezos, his brother Mark, women-in-space advocate Wally Funk and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, the winner of a $28 million charity auction. "Oh my god! My expectations were high and they were dramatically exceeded," Bezos said at a news conference. But more than that, he was just overjoyed by being able to leave the atmosphere. Jeff Bezos described seeing the Earth from space as a "tiny little, fragile thing" after traveling aboard the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. Who is going into space with Bezos?: Meet the crew of Blue Origin's first human spaceflight Blue Origin crew share excitement from space launch View Gallery: Blue Origin space flight: Photos of Jeff Bezos, crew on New Shepard
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |