Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will soonlaunch a rocket from West Texasbearingsix lucky passengerswho will become the latest to ride to the edge ofspace.
Awaiting them more than 60 miles high is a stunning view of Earthfew have ever witnessed, as well as a few moments of microgravity that allows them to float weightless throughout the spacecraft. Andwhen they land back on solid ground, the space tourists will joinan exclusive club of celebrities, business leaders and others whohave experienced the brief celestial journey.
Bezos' spaceflight companyhas been offering the cosmic joy rides aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital rocket since the billionaire Amazon founder was part of the maiden crewed voyage in 2021.
Most of uscan only dream of such an experience, but there is a small consolation: Blue Origin will, as usual,provide a livestreamof its first spaceflight of 2026 that you can watch from home.
Here's everything to knowabout the next Blue Origin launch, including how to watch it live.
Blue Origin rocket launch:Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin announces date for next human rocket launch
When is the next Blue Origin rocket launch?
Blue Origin is working toward a Thursday, Jan. 22, launch of its New Shepard rocket. The spacecraft is targeted to get off the ground at 9:30 a.m. ET from the company's private ranch facilityknown as Launch Site Onein Texas, located near the U.S.-Mexico border, the companyannounced.
A Federal Aviation Administration operationsplan advisorysuggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed.
Follow Blue Origin live coverage
Blue Originwill provide a webcast of the launchbeginning about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled liftoff on itswebsiteand onsocial media site X.
2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions
Who is the crew of NS-38?
When the New Shepard gets off the ground again, the six people selected to board it will join86 others who have flownon the spacecraft across 16 previous human spaceflights, including six repeat passengers. The spaceflight, known asNS-38, will also be New Shepard's 38th flight overall.
Oklahoma native Andrew Yaffe, who was among the original passengers selected for the crew, had to drop out of the mission due to an illness and will be part of a future flight,Blue Origin saidTuesday, Jan. 20.
Here's a look at the passengers:
Mission NS-38 Update: One of our crew members is no longer able to fly due to illness; he will join a future mission. Our new sixth crew member will be Dr. Laura Stiles, Blue Origin's Director of New Shepard Launch Operations. The mission is still slated for Thursday, January 22,…pic.twitter.com/T53tfjClIs
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin)January 20, 2026
Tim Drexler, the former owner and CEO of Ace Asphalt and a private aviator
Linda Edwards, a retired board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and survivor of breast cancer
Alain Fernandez, an international real estate developer and investor
Alberto Gutiérrez, an entrepreneur and avid traveler founded Civitatis, which offers guides tours around the world
Jim Hendren, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and former F-15 fighter pilot who served in multiple overseas combat deployments, as well as a former state senator in Arkansas
Laura Stiles, Blue Origin's Director of New Shepard Launch Operations
Does Jeff Bezos own Blue Origin?
Billionaire Jeff Bezos, best known for founding Amazon, founded the private space technology company Blue Origin in 2000. Headquartered in Washington state, Blue Origin conducts tests and launches of its small New Shepard spacecraft from West Texas.
Bezos even boarded Blue Origin's New Shepardfor its maiden crewed voyage in July 2021, which came after the spacecraft flew on 15 flight tests beginning in 2012.
What is New Glenn?
The smaller, suborbital New Shepard vehicle is not to be confused withBlue Origin's towering orbital New Glenn rocketthat has now launched twice from Florida. The 322-foot spacecraft,one of the largest active rockets in the world, last got off the ground Nov. 13 ona mission to propel twin NASA ESCAPADE satelliteson a voyage to Mars.
While New Shepard is designed for quick trips to space, New Glenn is indicative of Blue Origin's aim to compete with billionaireElon Musk's SpaceX – whose fleet of Falcon 9 rocketsdominates the commercial space industry.
What happens during a New Shepard rocket launch?
Eachspaceflight on a New Shepard vehiclelasts about 11 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown.
Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, the 60-foot-tall New Shepard rocket is topped with the gum drop-shaped crew capsule. The spacecraft operates completely autonomously, meaning no pilots are aboard.
During its ascent, the spacecraft reaches supersonic speeds surpassing 2,000 mph before the rocket booster separates from the crew capsule. At that point, the capsule becomes weightless as the spacecraft continues toward its highest point on its brief voyage above the Kármán Line – the 62-mile-high internationally recognized boundary of space.
Passengers will at this time experience a few minutes of microgravity after they unstrap themselves from their seats to gaze out thecapsule's large windowsand take in a stunning view of Earth.
Meanwhile, the rocket booster heads back to the ground while firing its engines and using its fins to slow and control its descent to land vertical about two miles from the launchpad.
The capsule itself eventually begins what Blue Origin refers to as a "stable freefall" – plummeting back to Earth as three massive parachutes deploy and the capsule makes a soft landing in the desert, sending up plumes of dust.
How much does it cost to ride Blue Origin?
If you have dreams of blasting off to orbit on a Blue Origin spacecraft, you likelyneed to either have very deep pocketsor a name that's recognizable enough to get you invited as an honored guest.
Though Blue Origin does not publicly list prices on its website,a form to reserve a seatrequires customers to agree to a $150,000 deposit.
And if the price ofthe first ticket soldfor a Blue Origin spaceflight in 2021 is any indicator, seats likely cost millions of dollars. The $28 million ticket price was the winning bid in an auction that included 7,600 people registered to bid from 159 countries.
However, a select few passengers over the years have had their seats aboard New Shepard paid through grants and other funding methods from large institutions.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Blue Origin targets 1st crewed rocket launch of 2026. Here's what to know
