Blue Origin shoots NASA experiments into space in test

January 23, 2019 at 10:39 a.m.

by MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the New Shepard capsule and booster lifts off from the company's site in west Texas. Jeff Bezos' rocket company launched NASA experiments into space on the brief test flight. (Blue Origin via AP)
In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the New Shepard capsule and booster lifts off from the company's site in west Texas. Jeff Bezos' rocket company launched NASA experiments into space on the brief test flight. (Blue Origin via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Jeff Bezos' rocket company, Blue Origin, has launched NASA experiments into space on a brief test flight.

The New Shepard rocket blasted off Wednesday from West Texas, hoisting a capsule containing the experiments. The eight experiments were exposed to a few minutes of weightlessness, before the capsule parachuted down. The rocket also landed successfully, completing its fourth spaceflight.

This was Blue Origin's 10th test flight, all precursors to launching passengers by year's end. The capsules have six windows, one for each customer. Blue Origin isn't taking reservations just yet. Instead, the Kent, Washington, company is focusing on brief research flights.

Wednesday's flight lasted just over 10 minutes, with the capsule reaching 66 miles high, or 107 kilometers, well within the accepted boundary of space.

Bezos is the founder of Amazon.

NW News on 01/24/2019

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