RSS Kármán Line explained

RSS Kármán Line
Type:Space capsule
Class:New Shepard crew capsule
Owner:Blue Origin
Manufacturer:Blue Origin
Rocket:New Shepard
Location:Van Horn, Texas
First Flight Date:23 October 2024
First Flight:Blue Origin NS-27
Last Flight Date:Active
Flights:1
Previous:RSS First Step

RSS Kármán Line (Reusable Space Ship Kármán Line) is a New Shepard space capsule, built and operated by American spaceflight company Blue Origin.[1] It is the fourth New Shepard capsule to fly to space, and is slated to be the second to fly passengers, after RSS First Step. The capsule's first uncrewed flight was the NS-27 mission on 23 October 2024, which was also the maiden flight of New Shepard booster NS5.[2]

History

RSS Kármán Line, the fourth New Shepard capsule, was built by Blue Origin to "better meet growing customer demand" for New Shepard flights. The spacecraft is named after the Kármán line, an altitude of and the conventional definition of the edge of space, which the capsule crosses at the apogee of its sub-orbital spaceflight.[3] The capsule first flew on the uncrewed NS-27 verification mission, which launched on 23 October 2024 carrying twelve customer payloads, after issues pushed back the launch from 7 October 2024.[4] [5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blue Origin Debuts Second Human-Rated New Shepard Rocket To Meet Demand . Blue Origin.
  2. News: Wall . Mike . Blue Origin launches 2nd human-rated New Shepard rocket, nails landing (video) . 26 November 2024 . Space.com . 23 October 2024 . en.
  3. News: Tribou . Richard . Sentinel . Orlando . Blue Origin constructs new New Shepard rocket-capsule combo to expand human launches . 26 November 2024 . phys.org . 7 October 2024 . en.
  4. blueorigin . 1842196161177833911 . 4 October 2024 . New Shepard #NS27 is an uncrewed verification flight debuting our second human-rated vehicle to meet growing customer demand. The launch window opens on Monday, October 7, at 8:00 AM CDT / 13:00 UTC: https://bit.ly/3XPzxrX. 4 October 2024.
  5. News: Wall . Mike . Blue Origin delays debut launch of 2nd human-rated New Shepard rocket due to GPS glitch . 14 October 2024 . Space.com . 4 October 2024 . en.