Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

2 minutes ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

19 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

20 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

20 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

21 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

24 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

1 day ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

1 day ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

1 day ago
Bezos Rocket Crashes With No One on Board
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
September 12, 2022

Share

 

No one was aboard the Blue Origin flight, which used the same kind of rocket as the one that sends paying customers to the edge of space. The rockets are now grounded pending the outcome of an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The New Shepard rocket was barely a minute into its flight from West Texas when bright yellow flames shot out from around the single engine at the bottom. The capsule’s emergency launch abort system immediately kicked in, lifting the craft off the top. Several minutes later, the capsule parachuted onto the remote desert floor.

The rocket came crashing down, with no injuries or damage reported, said the FAA, which is in charge of public safety during commercial space launches and landings.

Company Admits Crash in a Tweet

Blue Origin’s launch commentary went silent when the capsule catapulted off the rocket Monday morning, eventually announcing: “It appears we’ve experienced an anomaly with today’s flight. This wasn’t planned.”

“Booster failure on today’s uncrewed flight. Escape system performed as designed,” the Kent, Washington-based company tweeted close to an hour later.

The company later said the rocket crashed.

Rocket Reached 28,000 Feet

The mishap occurred as the rocket was traveling nearly 700 mph at an altitude of about 28,000 feet. There was no video shown of the rocket — only the capsule — after the failure. It happened around the point the rocket is under the maximum amount of pressure, called max-q.

The rocket usually lands upright on the desert floor and then is recycled for future flights.

The webcast showed the capsule reaching a maximum altitude of more than 37,000 feet. Thirty-six experiments were on board to be exposed to a few minutes of weightlessness. Half were sponsored by NASA, mostly from students.

It was the 23rd flight for the New Shepard program, named after the first American in space, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard. It was the ninth flight for this particular rocket-capsule pair, which was dedicated to flying experiments.

Blue Origin’s most recent flight with paying customers was just last month; the ticket price hasn’t been released. Bezos was on the first New Shepard crew last year. Altogether, Blue Origin has carried 31 people on 10-minute flights, including actor William Shatner.

The rocket should have launched nearly two weeks ago but was grounded until Monday by bad weather.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

DON'T MISS

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

UP NEXT

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

UP NEXT

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

UP NEXT

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

UP NEXT

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

UP NEXT

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

UP NEXT

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

UP NEXT

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

UP NEXT

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rachelle Maria Blanco

14 minutes ago

Russia Pounds Kyiv With Largest Drone Attack, Hours After Trump-Putin Call

19 minutes ago

Boxer Chavez Jr Expected to Be Deported to Mexico to Serve Sentence, Mexican President Says

24 minutes ago

Markets’ 90-Day Tariff Pause Rollercoaster Nears an Uncertain End

27 minutes ago

Trump Says He’s Willing to Let Migrant Farm Laborers Stay in US

35 minutes ago

Fresno Police to Conduct DUI Checkpoint on Fourth of July, Boost Holiday Patrols

3 hours ago

July 4th Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Founding Fathers

4 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

16 hours ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

17 hours ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

17 hours ago

Fresno County Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death of Transient Man

Authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a man found along a rural road west of Fresno. Deputies responded around 7 a.m. Wednes...

2 minutes ago

Billy Wayne Sinisgalli, a 54-year-old transient known locally as Wayne, was found dead along a rural Fresno road Wednesday in what authorities are investigating as a suspicious death. (Fresno County SO)
2 minutes ago

Fresno County Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death of Transient Man

Israel Builds a Fence Around the West Bank
2 minutes ago

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

A view of the site of Thursday's Israeli strike that damaged and destroyed residential buildings, at Shati (Beach) refugee camp, in Gaza City, July 4, 2025. (Reuters/Mahmoud Issa)
9 minutes ago

Israeli Military Kills 20 in Gaza as Trump Awaits Hamas Reply to Truce Proposal

Rachelle Maria Blanco is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for July 4, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
14 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rachelle Maria Blanco

An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 4, 2025. (Reuters/Gleb Garanich)
20 minutes ago

Russia Pounds Kyiv With Largest Drone Attack, Hours After Trump-Putin Call

FILE PHOTO: Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. enters the ring before his fight against Jake Paul at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, U.S. June 28, 2025. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images via REUTERS. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES/File Photo
24 minutes ago

Boxer Chavez Jr Expected to Be Deported to Mexico to Serve Sentence, Mexican President Says

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025. (Reuters File)
27 minutes ago

Markets’ 90-Day Tariff Pause Rollercoaster Nears an Uncertain End

Trump Speaks in Iowa
35 minutes ago

Trump Says He’s Willing to Let Migrant Farm Laborers Stay in US

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend