Company Wants To Conduct At Least Two Additional Unmanned Flights

Blue Origin plans to conduct at least two more unmanned test flight of its New Shepard rocket system before putting passengers on board, which may push that first crewed flight into 2020.

The company has filed an application for its next test flight with an operational window beginning in November, according to a report from CNBC. That is the earliest they could fly under the launch permit, but it is not a hard date.

Blue Origin had hoped to fly its first passengers last year, but in an interview with CNBC, company CEO Bob Smith said additional testing is needed. He said it is not one specific thing that is forcing the delays, but rather "It’s us being cautious and thorough with the total systems we need to verify.”

Blue Origin has made changes to both the booster and the capsule configuration since making its first projections for a 2018 manned flight. Smith said the upgrades have given the company "higher confidence that the design is robust.”

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report