<story><title>Blue Origin successfully lands both booster and crew capsule after test launch</title><url>https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/18/blue-origin-successfully-lands-both-booster-and-crew-capsule-after-test-launch/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>ChuckMcM</author><text>I really appreciate Blue Origin&amp;#x27;s methodical approach to building this system. I note that they are closer to being operational than Virgin Galactic who I consider their primary competitor.&lt;p&gt;The challenge I have with the &amp;#x27;suborbital tourist&amp;#x27; economy is that while some folks will pay $200K per ride for less than 3 minutes of zero gravity, one has to compare that to the Zero Gravity Corp which gives you over 6 minutes of weightlessness (in 20 - 30 second increments) for $5K[1]&lt;p&gt;Sure there is the &amp;#x27;Concorde&amp;#x27; effect where the very wealthy will all do it once so that they won&amp;#x27;t feel left out at cocktail parties but that does not seem sustainable.&lt;p&gt;My hope is that Blue Origin&amp;#x27;s plans to move into orbital flights is successful. Spending $200K to spend nearly 90 minutes (1 orbit) weightless has much more appeal.&lt;p&gt;[1] &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gozerog.com&amp;#x2F;index.cfm?fuseaction=reservations.welcome&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.gozerog.com&amp;#x2F;index.cfm?fuseaction=reservations.we...&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>
<story><title>Blue Origin successfully lands both booster and crew capsule after test launch</title><url>https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/18/blue-origin-successfully-lands-both-booster-and-crew-capsule-after-test-launch/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>rory096</author><text>Note that this flight tested an in-space abort, firing the crew capsule&amp;#x27;s solid motor to simulate an emergency escape from the booster.&lt;p&gt;Because the abort took place after MECO, the capsule reached an apogee of 118.8km. This will likely stand as New Shepard&amp;#x27;s altitude record.&lt;p&gt;Blue Origin previously tested a transonic abort and (unexpectedly) recovered the booster. Recovery did not appear to be in question this time.</text></comment>