New Shephard rocket system

New Shephard rocket system

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Space

In news Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos came back to earth after a 10-min flight to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft.

What is the Significance of the mission?

• The astronauts experienced three to four minutes of zero-gravity and travelled above the Kármán Line, the internationally-recognised boundary of space.

What is New Shephard, the rocket system?

• It is a rocket system meant to take tourists to space successfully.
• The system is built by Blue Origin, Private Space Company based out in USA.
• New Shephard has been named after astronaut Alan Shephard, the first American to go to space.
• It offers flights to space over 100 km above the Earth and accommodation for payloads.
• The system is a fully reusable, vertical takeoff and vertical landing space vehicle 

Scientific objectives of the mission:

• It is a rocket system that has been designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Karman line.
• The idea is to provide easier and more cost-effective access to space meant for purposes such as academic research, corporate technology development, entrepreneurial ventures and space tourism among others.

News Source: TH