Blue Origin has actually “stopped briefly” its New Shepard program for the next 2 years, a relocation that most likely signals an irreversible end to the suborbital area tourist effort.

The little rocket and pill have actually been flying considering that April 2015 and have actually integrated to make 38 launches, all however among which succeeded, and 36 landings. In its presence, the New Shepard program flew 98 individuals to area, nevertheless quickly, and released more than 200 clinical and research study payloads into the microgravity environment.

Why is Blue Origin, established by Jeff Bezos more than a quarter of a century earlier, ending the business’s longest-running program?

“We will reroute our individuals and resources towards more velocity of our human lunar abilities inclusive of New Glenn,” composed the business’s president, Dave Limp, in an internal e-mail on Friday afternoon. “We have a remarkable chance to be a part of our country’s objective of going back to the Moon and developing an irreversible, continual lunar existence.”

Move was a surprise

The cancellation came, normally, as a surprise to Blue Origin workers. The business flew its latest objective 8 days back, introducing 6 individuals into area. The business has 4 brand-new boosters in numerous phases of advancement as well as 2 brand-new pills under building. Blue Origin has actually been offering human flights for more than a year and is still commanding a per-seat rate of roughly $1 million based upon current sales. It was discussing growth to brand-new spaceports in September.

Still, there have actually constantly been concerns about the program’s practicality. In November 2023, Ars released a short article asking for how long Bezos would continue to support the New Shepard program, which at the time was “hemorrhaging” cash. Sources show the program has actually gotten closer to recovering cost, however it stays a drain on Blue Origin’s efforts.

More than 500 individuals invest part or all of their time dealing with New Shepard, however it likewise makes use of other resources within the business. It is a little portion of the business’s general labor force, it is however an interruption from the business’s long-lasting aspirations to develop settlements in area where millions of individuals will live, work, and assist move commercial activity off Earth and into orbit.