New Shepard's 29th mission to simulate Lunar Gravity

New Shepard's 29th mission to simulate Lunar Gravity
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 26, 2025

Blue Origin is preparing for the 29th flight of its New Shepard rocket, set to launch on January 28 at 10:00 AM CST / 1600 UTC from Launch Site One in West Texas. The mission, known as NS-29, will simulate the Moon's gravity for the first time and carry 30 payloads, nearly all of which are focused on testing technologies crucial for lunar exploration. The webcast will begin 15 minutes before liftoff.

The New Shepard flight will allow its payloads to experience at least two minutes of simulated lunar gravity, a groundbreaking achievement made possible by NASA's support. The payloads on board will focus on testing six key lunar technology areas: in-situ resource utilization, dust mitigation, advanced habitation systems, sensors and instrumentation, small spacecraft technologies, and entry descent and landing. The test flight offers a cost-effective opportunity for Blue Origin and its partners, including NASA, to validate these technologies, which are essential for the Artemis program and the broader goal of exploring the Moon's surface.

In order to simulate the Moon's gravity, the New Shepard crew capsule will spin using its Reaction Control System (RCS), reaching approximately 11 revolutions per minute. This rotational speed will create an environment similar to one-sixth the gravity of Earth.

In this simulated environment, researchers can accelerate the development and readiness of lunar payloads at a fraction of the cost typically associated with similar tests, which have previously only been possible through more expensive methods such as centrifuge drop towers or parabolic flights.

NS-29 will bring the total number of commercial payloads flown on New Shepard to over 175. Of the 30 payloads on board, 29 will be carried inside the crew capsule, with one additional payload flying on the booster, exposed to the space environment.

More than half of the payloads are supported by NASA's Flight Opportunities program, managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate. Four of the payloads come from Honeybee Robotics, a subsidiary of Blue Origin's In-Space Systems business. These payloads will focus on technologies designed to penetrate, excavate, and process lunar regolith, advancing our ability to extract resources from the Moon.

Additionally, the mission will carry thousands of postcards on behalf of Club for the Future, Blue Origin's nonprofit initiative aimed at inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Since its inception in 2019, Club for the Future has engaged more than 44 million people worldwide. Students interested in submitting digital postcards can do so through the organization's platform.