Blue Origin NS-38 Completes First 2026 Flight Amid Crew Change and Increased Launch Goals

Blue Origin successfully executed its New Shepard mission designated NS-38 on January 22, 2026, marking the company's first crewed flight of the year. The launch originated from Launch Site One in West Texas, proceeding after a brief hold due to unauthorized personnel in the safety area. This operation represented the thirty-eighth overall mission for the New Shepard rocket and the seventeenth to carry human passengers.

The capsule reached an apogee of approximately 106 kilometers, surpassing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. The total flight duration, from ignition to landing, was about ten minutes, concluding with the controlled parachute descent of the capsule and a powered, vertical landing of the booster. With this flight, Blue Origin has now transported a cumulative total of 98 individuals beyond the boundary of space via the New Shepard program.

The NS-38 crew included five paying customers: entrepreneur and pilot Tim Drexler, Dr. Linda Edwards, real estate investor Alain Fernandez, technology founder Alberto Gutiérrez, and retired Air Force Colonel Jim Hendren. A notable element of the mission involved a last-minute substitution: Laura Stiles, Blue Origin's Director of New Shepard Launch Operations, replaced Andrew Yaffe, who withdrew for health reasons and is scheduled for a subsequent flight. Stiles, an employee since 2013 with extensive experience in mechanical systems design, assumed the role of 'Crew Member 7.'

Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President for New Shepard, confirmed that the NS-38 flight initiates Blue Origin's 2026 operational schedule, during which the company intends to significantly increase its launch frequency. Joyce referenced prior statements from September 2025 indicating an ambition to raise the cadence from nearly monthly to "approximately weekly" in the coming years. This planned acceleration is intended to be supported by the introduction of three new-generation New Shepard vehicles throughout 2026.

The company continues to develop its infrastructure near Van Horn, Texas, while also planning for orbital operations. Blue Origin has stated intentions to launch between 45 and 60 satellites by the close of 2026 utilizing its New Glenn vehicle. The successful completion of NS-38, despite the late crew adjustment, demonstrates Blue Origin's operational readiness to manage dynamic situations while pursuing its objectives for expanded space access.