US approves Bezos' Blue Origin to carry humans to space ahead of its first crewed flight

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on July 12 approved Jeff Bezos-founded Blue Origin license to carry humans on the New Shepard launch system into space just a day after Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson achieved the feat. Former Amazon CEO Bezos is set to fly to the edge of the space on Blue Origin’s first fully crewed voyage on July 20. The agency has reportedly confirmed that Blue Origin is allowed to carry humans as its FAA license is valid through August and has approval to conduct such missions from its Launch Site One facility in Texas.

"To gain license approval to carry humans, Blue Origin was required to verify that its launch vehicle's hardware and software worked safely and as intended during a test flight," the FAA said in a statement to FOX Business. While Bezos’ spaceflight company was required to verify if its launch vehicle’s hardware and software worked safely during the test flight, the FAA has now confirmed that Blue Origin met regulatory requirements. On July 20, Blue Origin will fly its 16th New Shepard flight to space, first with astronauts on board. Spaceflight will be launched at the company’s Launch Site One in a remote location with no on-site public viewing areas in the vicinity.

Blue Origin’s first human spaceflight will come a little over a week after space-tourism competitor Virgin Galactic successfully sent a crew of six including founder Richard Branson to space and experienced few minutes in zero gravity. Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin as well as the space firm founded by billionaire Elon Musk are working to usher in a new era of routine commercial civilian space travel in what has been popularized as the “billionaire space race.”

Bezos to Branson: ‘Can’t wait to join the club’

“Can’t wait to join the club,” said Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos hailing the success of Virgin Galactic’s founder Richard Branson on the historic voyage to the edge of the space. While Bezos will be following the same suit in a matter of days, the Amazon founder congratulated the British billionaire who along with five others flew to space aboard Virgin Galactic’s first fully crewed flight on July 11.  The Virgin Galactic vessel reached a peak altitude of around 53 miles (85 kilometres) which is beyond the boundary of space set by the United States allowing all six passengers including Branson to experience weightlessness and admire the Earth’s curvature. 

IMAGE: AP