Blue Origin is the secretive rocket company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. On Tuesday, the company announced that it is ready to start unmanned test flights later this year.
According to the company's website: "Our New Shepard system will take astronauts to space on suborbital journeys. The New Shepard vehicle includes a Crew Capsule carrying three or more astronauts atop a separate rocket-powered Propulsion Module, launched from our West Texas Launch Site.
"The Crew Capsule will go on to coast to the edge of space, providing astronauts with a view to the curvature of the Earth and the beauty of our planet. After descent and reentry into Earth's atmosphere, the Crew Capsule will land under parachutes near the launch site.
"In addition, the New Shepard vehicle will provide opportunities for researchers to fly experiments into space and a microgravity environment."
In its efforts to provide "reliable, cost-effective human access to space," Blue Origin will use reusable first stage and orbital boosters. The biconic Space Vehicle will also be reusable, according to Blue Origin plans.
