Blue Origin Completes First 2026 Suborbital Flight, NS-38, Following Crew Change

Blue Origin successfully executed its first New Shepard mission of 2026, designated NS-38, on January 22, 2026. This flight marked the 38th overall for the New Shepard program and the 17th crewed mission for the autonomous, reusable rocket-capsule system. The launch originated from Launch Site One in West Texas at 11:25 a.m. Eastern Time, following a brief delay attributed to unauthorized personnel in the launch area.

The capsule reached an apogee of approximately 106 kilometers, surpassing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space set at 100 kilometers above mean sea level by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The suborbital flight concluded approximately 10 minutes later with the booster executing a powered, vertical landing and the capsule descending safely under parachutes and a final rocket-powered touchdown.

The mission carried six paying customers: Timothy Drexler, Linda Edwards, Alain Fernandez, Alberto Gutiérrez, and Jim Hendren. The planned crew experienced a last-minute adjustment when Andrew Yaffe had to withdraw for health reasons, with his flight rescheduled for a future mission. Laura Stiles, Blue Origin’s Director of New Shepard Launch Operations, assumed the vacant seat as Crew Member 7 just two days prior to launch.

Stiles brings significant operational experience to the flight, having joined Blue Origin in 2013 and previously serving in roles such as Flight Controller and CapCom for New Shepard launch crews. Her academic credentials include a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. The successful flight of an internal operations leader underscores Blue Origin’s focus on system reliability.

Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President for New Shepard, stated that the company's objective for 2026 is to continue providing customers with transformative experiences, supported by the proven reliability of the New Shepard system. This mission officially commenced Blue Origin’s operational schedule for the year, building on the cumulative total of 98 individuals flown to space via the New Shepard program.

The flight continues the activity in the commercial suborbital space tourism sector. While Blue Origin has not publicly disclosed the exact cost for a New Shepard flight, the required deposit to initiate the booking process is reported to be $150,000. For comparison, competitor Virgin Galactic has set its ticket price at $600,000 per seat.