Kent-based Blue Origin completes 13th human spaceflight
Published 4:35 pm Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Kent-based Blue Origin completed its 13th human spaceflight and 33rd flight for the New Shepard program on Sunday, June 29.
New Shepard has now flown 70 people to space, including four who have flown twice.
The crew included Allie Kuehner and her husband, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Jr., Owolabi Salis and Jim Sitkin. Blue Origin’s launch site is in West Texas.
“One thing this crew shares in common is an appreciation of our planet’s beauty and the need to preserve it for future generations,” said Audrey Powers, Blue Origin vice president of mission and flight operations. “Thank you to our customers for entrusting us to provide this life-changing view. I look forward to seeing how you transform this experience into action.”
The flight goes above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. The flight lasts about 10 minutes traveling approximately 62 miles into space and reaching speeds of up t0 2,238 mph.
Blue Origin charges people to fly into space, but does not reveal the prices. Some people receive sponsored flights. A refundable deposit of $150,000 is required to start the process to book a flight, according to the company’s website.
Blue Origin, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, opened in Kent in 2000.
