Blue Origin's 13th Human Spaceflight Carries Six Private Citizens Beyond Earth's Edge

Blue Origin successfully completed its NS-33 suborbital mission on June 29, 2025, launching six private citizens to the edge of space from its Launch Site One in West Texas. This flight marked the 13th human spaceflight for the New Shepard program and the 33rd overall mission for the reusable rocket system. The crew, self-named "Solstice 33," comprised individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, signaling a continued expansion of space tourism beyond well-known figures.

The crew included environmentalist Allie Kuehner and her husband, real estate executive Carl Kuehner; philanthropist and former bus company CEO Leland Larson; entrepreneur Freddie Rescigno, Jr.; attorney and financial consultant Owolabi Salis; and retired labor attorney James Sitkin. Their varied backgrounds highlight the growing accessibility of space travel. Scott Manley, a prominent space enthusiast, observed in a tweet, > "The crew list of Blue Origin's NS33 flight is notable in that this is the first flight where none of the people were well enough known to have existing wikipedia pages. Some people just make the money, buy a ticket and go to space without becoming sufficiently notable."

The roughly 10-minute, 14-second flight saw the New Shepard capsule reach an apogee of approximately 106 kilometers (66 miles), crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Passengers experienced several minutes of weightlessness and a unique perspective of Earth from above. This mission underscores Blue Origin's consistent cadence in suborbital space tourism, with NS-33 being the third crewed New Shepard flight in two and a half months.

Audrey Powers, Blue Origin's Vice President of Mission and Flight Operations, emphasized the shared values of the crew, stating, "One thing this crew shares in common is an appreciation of our planet’s beauty and the need to preserve it for future generations." This sentiment aligns with Blue Origin's broader vision of enabling millions of people to live and work in space for the benefit of Earth.

The NS-33 flight further solidifies the commercial viability of suborbital space tourism, building on the more than $100 million generated by the New Shepard program as of June 2022. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, continues to advance its "road to space" strategy, which includes the development of the larger New Glenn orbital rocket and the Blue Moon lunar lander, aiming to make space more accessible for various purposes.