Blue Origin, the private space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has released video of the April 2 launch and landing of its prototype reusable rocket.
In this third test, the New Shepard spacecraft reached about 64 miles, zipped back toward Earth, then restarted its engine for the landing just 3,600 feet from the ground.
In this video, a “vent cam” mounted on New Shepard takes the viewer from seeing the curvature of the Earth, all the way down to the desert floor in West Texas in just two and a half minutes.
Last month, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work cited Blue Origin and SpaceX as examples of innovators disrupting traditional defense firms.
“We’re also on the verge of a revolution in space flight driven by a new generation of private rocket builders. Last week, I visited Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ rocket facility. Earlier this month they launched their reusable rocket into space and then successfully landed it vertically out in West Texas – the third time they’ve done this,” Work said. “And last Friday, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched their reusable Falcon 9 rocket and successfully landed it on a barge out at sea, after a number of tries. And they’re not the only billionaires out there pushing private space flight. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is also in the game. These new entrants are competing with established successful rocket builders like Aerojet/Rocketdyne.”
Here’s another Blue Origin video, released last month, which shows the New Shepard launch from the outside. This one shows the booster engine relight, as the craft goes from a suicidal dive to a gentle landing.
