Blue Origin's New Shepard mission NS-35, scheduled for August 23, 2025, from West Texas, was intended to be an uncrewed suborbital flight carrying over 40 scientific and research payloads. This mission marked the 35th for the New Shepard program, bringing the total number of payloads flown to over 200. However, the launch was scrubbed due to an issue identified with the booster's avionics, with a new launch target to be announced.
The mission's payload manifest was rich with educational contributions, featuring 24 experiments from NASA's TechRise Student Challenge. This program, administered by Future Engineers and supported by NASA's Flight Opportunities program, provides students in grades 6-12 with hands-on experience in designing and building experiments. These student-led projects focused on critical areas such as plant cultivation in microgravity and the fundamental physics of liquids.
Complementing these efforts, the Teachers in Space program contributed experiments designed by educators to gather valuable data on sound levels, radiation, and ambient environmental conditions experienced during the flight. This initiative aims to provide teachers with authentic space science experiences and industry connections, preparing them to share these insights with their students.
Among the advanced payloads was the A.R.E.S. (Advanced Reinforced Engineering Structure) payload from Ecoatoms, which tested a novel chemical coating process using 432 sensors in microgravity. Additionally, the University of Florida's Biological Imaging in Support of Suborbital Science (BISS) project adapted International Space Station technology for suborbital application, aiming to deepen the understanding of biological responses to spaceflight.
The mission also carried thousands of student-decorated postcards, a heartwarming initiative by Blue Origin's nonprofit, Club for the Future. These postcards, after being stamped as having reached space, were intended to be returned to their creators, serving as tangible symbols of inspiration and a connection to the broader space exploration community.
The NS-35 mission was set to utilize the RSS H.G. Wells capsule and a New Shepard booster, both of which were slated for successful recovery. The booster was designed to execute a precise propulsive landing, while the capsule was to return safely to Earth under its parachute system, demonstrating the reliability and reusability of Blue Origin's technology.