Blue Origin Pauses Suborbital Space Tourism Program Amid Shift In Priorities

In a recent development, Blue Origin has announced that it will be pausing its New Shepard program for the next two years, effectively signaling a permanent end to the suborbital space tourism initiative. According to Ars Technica, this decision comes as a surprise to Blue Origin employees, with the company’s most recent New Shepard mission having launched just a week prior to the announcement.

The New Shepard program, which has been flying since April 2015, has achieved 38 launches, with 36 successful landings, and has flown 98 people to space. The program has launched over 200 scientific and research payloads into the microgravity environment. However, Blue Origin’s CEO, Dave Limp, stated that the company will redirect its resources toward accelerating its human lunar capabilities, including the development of the New Glenn rocket.

This move is part of Blue Origin’s efforts to contribute to the nation’s goal of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence. As reported by Ars Technica, the company’s decision to pause the New Shepard program is a significant shift in its priorities, with a focus on more ambitious and complex projects.

In related news, SpaceX is currently investigating an upper stage malfunction, while also resuming Starship testing. Meanwhile,