Blue Origin completes suborbital launch, test flight of capsule

Blue Origin is one step closer being able to send people into space.

On Thursday, Blue Origin successfully launched its Shepard suborbital booster and pressurized crew capsule from a privately operated facility in Van Horn, Texas.

Blue Origin also landed the single-stage rocket just minutes after liftoff.

The mission had two purposes.  First, to test the booster and capsule, the second purpose was a package of microgravity research experiments for NASA.  The crew capsule will have six seats and could one day be used to ferry humans into space.

Blue Origin steamed the successful launch live on its YouTube channel.

Shortly after the lift off and landing of the booster and capsule, Blue Origin called the test launch a success.

Thursday’s launch marked Blue Origin’s 11th suborbital flight in the past four years.  The company plans to launch its next generation rocket, the new Glenn rocket, from Cape Canaveral in 2021.