New Shepard's upcoming launch includes the first Egyptian and Portuguese space travelers.

Blue Origin has revealed when New Shepard's sixth crewed flight will take place. The NS-22 mission (New Shepard's 22nd launch overall) is set for August 4th, which is two months to the day after its previous spaceflight. The launch window opens at 9:30AM ET.

The company recently announced the passengers who will travel to the edge of space this time around. Among them are engineer Sara Sabry and entrepreneur Mário Ferreira, who will be the first Egyptian and Portuguese people to visit space, respectively. Mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien, meanwhile, will become the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, venture to Challenger Deep (believed to be the deepest point of the ocean) and cross the Kármán line — the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

The crew also includes Coby Cotton, a cofounder of the popular trickshot and comedy YouTube channel Dude Perfect, and telecoms executive Steve Young. The sixth passenger is Clint Kelly III, who started the Autonomous Land Vehicle project at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the 1980s. Blue Origin notes that Kelly is credited with creating the technology base that paved the way for modern self-driving vehicles.

The mission patch for New Shepard's NS-22 mission. It features symbols including:

The Pyramids of Egypt represent Sara Sabry’s heritage and celebrate her accomplishment as the country’s first astronaut. 

The Mariana Trench represents Vanessa O’Brien’s feat in reaching Challenger Deep, Earth’s deepest point. 

The crew capsule is depicted as a basketball, symbolizing Dude Perfect’s trick shots and Coby Cotton’s role in co-founding the company.

Magellan’s ship represents Mário Ferreira’s Portuguese heritage and lifelong passion for adventure. 

The fish swimming below Magellan’s ship symbolize Steve Young’s passion for fishing.

The stagecoach represents Clint Kelly III’s aspirations for humanity’s reach into the new frontier of space. 

New Shepard’s booster and the West Texas mountains are also represented in the patch.

Blue Origin

Source:
courtesy of ENGADGET

by Kris Holt

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]