NS-14
New Shepard
Blue Origin
Crew
Mannequin Skywalker
- Role: Anthropomorphic Test Device
- Nationality: Earthling
- First Flight: 12/12/2017
- Last Flight: 04/14/2021
“Mannequin Skywalker” is a test dummy flown on Blue Origin New Shepard 3’s initial flight test.
Mission
NS-14
- Type: Suborbital
- Orbit: Suborbital
For this mission, the New Shepard crew capsule will be outfitted with upgrades for the astronaut experience as the program nears human space flight. The upgrades include improvements to environmental features such as acoustics and temperature regulation inside the capsule, crew display panels, and speakers with a microphone and push-to-talk button at each seat. The mission will also test a number of astronaut communication and safety alert systems. The capsule will be outfitted with six seats, including one occupied by Mannequin Skywalker.
Location
Rocket
Landing
Core NS-4
Booster NS-4 last launched 08/29/2024 and has seen 11 successful launches and landings. New Shepard vehicle #4 is the fourth flight vehicle of the New Shepard suborbital rocket. It was used for Blue Origin’s first crewed launches.
Corn Ranch Landing Pad, West Texas – CR
New Shepard landing site.
Return to Launch Site – RTLS
A return to launch site usually means that after stage separation the booster flips and does a burn back towards the launch site, landing near where it initially launched from.
Agency
Blue Origin
Blue Origin is an American privately funded aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company set up by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos with its headquarters in Kent, Washington. The company is developing technologies to enable private human access to space with the goal to dramatically lower costs and increase reliability. Blue Origin currently launches its New Shepard sub-orbital vehicle from its West Texas launch site, they are currently constructing a launch pad for their orbital vehicle New Glenn at Cape Canaveral LC-36.