SHEPARD
MISSION: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NEWS:
31st New Shepard
Mission, the New Shepard launch vehicle, and the Karman Line
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS?
Blue Origin's 31st New
Shepard mission made history with its first all-female crew, successfully
completing a sub-orbital spaceflight that crossed the Karman line. The reusable
vehicle showcased the company's commitment to expanding commercial space tourism
and gender inclusivity in space exploration.
31st New Shepard Mission
– Overview
- Conducted by Blue
Origin, a private aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos.
- Marked a historic
milestone by featuring the first all-female crew with six women on
board.
- Aimed to promote
inclusivity in space exploration and inspire future generations of women
in STEM fields.
- The flight lasted approximately
10 minutes and 21 seconds.
- The vehicle reached
an altitude of 106 km, which is above the Karman line,
officially entering outer space.
- Demonstrated the reusability
and reliability of the New Shepard system for commercial space
tourism.
- The mission is part
of Blue Origin’s broader vision to make space more accessible
through repeated, safe sub-orbital flights.
New Shepard Launch
Vehicle – Technical Details
- Named after Alan
Shepard, the first American
to travel into space in 1961.
- It is a sub-orbital
launch vehicle designed primarily for space tourism and
scientific payloads.
- Utilizes a vertical
takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) configuration, making it reusable.
- Composed of two main
parts:
- Booster
Rocket:
Powered by a single BE-3PM liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine.
Provides the thrust required to lift the crew capsule past the Karman
line.
- Crew
Capsule:
Detaches from the booster at apogee, offering a few minutes of
weightlessness. Can accommodate up to six passengers, cargo, or a
combination of both.
- Capable of reaching
an apogee of 100.5 km, just over the Karman line.
- After separation:
- The capsule
lands back on Earth using three parachutes and a solid
rocket motor to soften the touchdown.
- The booster
autonomously lands vertically on a landing pad close to the launch
site.
- Designed to be fully
reusable, reducing the cost of individual missions and increasing
launch frequency.
Karman Line – Definition
and Importance
- An imaginary
boundary located at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles)
above sea level.
- Internationally
accepted as the boundary
between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
- Recognized by the Federation
Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) and used in aerospace records and
treaties.
- Crossing the Karman
line:
- Officially
classifies the flight as a spaceflight.
- The
people on board are recognized as astronauts.
- Aerodynamic
forces
dominate; flight is governed by air resistance and lift.
- Aircraft
wings generate lift by pushing against relatively denser air.
- The
air is too thin for traditional aerodynamic lift.
- Orbital
mechanics and rocket propulsion
become necessary to sustain motion.
- Spacecraft
must rely on their own propulsion systems to maneuver and
counteract even minimal atmospheric drag.
- Serves as a technical
and symbolic threshold for defining human presence in space.
Source:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/katy-perry-and-blue-origins-all-female-crew-to-launch-to-space-on-april-14-heres-how-to-watch-live-streaming/articleshow/120233006.cms