Blue Origin successfully launches 38th New Shepard flight

Blue Origin successfully launched its 38th New Shepard into space on Thursday.

The flight took off from West Texas before landing safely about 10 minutes later.

“We have just completed our 38th flight for the New Shepard program and the first in 2026,” Blue Origin wrote on its website. “New Shepard has now flown 98 people (92 personnel) into space.”

Blue Origin said the New Shepard Mission NS-38 crew includes Tim Drexler, a helicopter and aviation pilot and former CEO of Ace Asphalt; Linda Edwards, a retired board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and two-time breast cancer survivor; Alan Fernandez, global real estate developer; Alberto Gutierrez, entrepreneur and founder of Civitatis, a platform for travel tours and activities; Jim Hendren, retired US Air Force colonel and former F-15 fighter pilot; and Laura Stiles, director of New Shepard Launch Operations and Training.

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“As we enter 2026, we are focused on continuing to deliver transformative experiences for our customers through New Shepard’s proven capability and reliability,” said Phil Joyce, senior vice president, New Shepard. “We are grateful to our astronaut customers who have placed their trust in our team to make this experience a reality.”

Blue Origin said New Shepard is named after Alan Shepard, who was the first American in space. The program has completed 37 missions and was last launched on December 20, 2025.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard Mission NS-38 departed from Launch Site One in West Texas with a six-person crew. (Blue Origin)

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“New Shepard is Blue Origin’s fully reusable suborbital rocket system designed for human flight from the beginning. During the 11-minute flight, astronauts soar above the Kármán Line (100 km/62 miles), the internationally recognized frontier of space, experience several minutes of weightlessness and witness life-changing sights on Earth. The vehicle is completely autonomous – there are no pilots,” Blue Origin said.

Blue Origin said the crew includes: Tim Drexler, Dr. Linda Edwards, Alan Fernandez, Alberto Gutierrez, Jim Hendren, and Dr. Laura Stiles. (Blue Origin)

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Blue Origin’s Future Club also said: “Today’s NS-38 mission will carry more than 20,000 postcards into space, including personal letters representing who we are, where we come from, and our dreams for the future.”