Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard NS-32 mission May 31, 2025, at 1330 UTC from Launch Site One near Van Horn, West Texas. The mission carried six civilians to the edge of space, marking the 12th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 32nd overall mission.
The New Shepard launch vehicle consists of the crew capsule or RSS First Step and a propulsion module or booster. The rocket reached supersonic speeds, surpassing 3,218 kilometer per hour(km/h). About two and a half minutes into the flight, the booster cut off its engine, then separated and returned to Earth to make a propulsive, vertical landing on a concrete pad not far from where it launched, as the capsule continued its coast upward into space.
The NS-32 crew includes the following.
Aymette (Amy) Medina Jorge: A high school and middle school STEM teacher at Odyssey Academy in Galveston, Texas. She has led over 60 student-driven space experiments and advocates for Hispanic representation in STEM fields.
Jaime Alemán: A Panamanian attorney, businessman, and former ambassador to the U.S. He is known for his philosophy of supporting others in reaching their goals.
Mark Rocket: An entrepreneur and technology leader from Christchurch, New Zealand. He is the CEO of Kea Aerospace and president of Aerospace New Zealand, focusing on sustainable aerospace technology.
Jesse Williams: A Canadian entrepreneur with multiple ventures, including eDirect Software, Car History Group, and Just Think Media. He is an avid cyclist and mountaineer who has summited six of the seven highest peaks on Earth, including Mt. Everest.
Dr. Gretchen Green: A radiologist specializing in women’s imaging. She is represented by the caduceus on the mission patch, recognizing her medical career.
Paul Jeris: An individual with a passion for space and exploration, represented by the planets inside the mission number on the mission patch.
About 10 minutes after launch, The RSS First Step descended back to Earth, using parachutes and a last-second jet of compressed air to make a soft touchdown. Blue Origin personnel were soon on hand to inspect the vehicle, open the hatch and welcome the NS-32 crewmates home.
During the flight, the spacecraft reached the Kármán line, where the crew experienced a few minutes of weightlessness. It reached an apogee, or maximum altitude, of 104 km above the ground, qualifying the six NS-32 passengers, self-dubbed "The Pathfinders," for Blue Origin-issued astronaut wings and their entry in the Association of Space Explorers' Registry of Worldwide Space Travelers.
This mission continues Blue Origin’s vision of making space travel accessible to private individuals, contributing to the growing space tourism industry, the company said.
