On August 29, 2024, Blue Origin achieved a milestone as they successfully launched six space tourists beyond the Karman Line aboard their New Shepard rocket. This landmark NS-26 mission marked the eighth tourist flight for the company and showcased a remarkable achievement with its youngest passenger, Karsen Kitchen, who at just 21 years old, now holds the record as the youngest woman to reach such heights in space.
The New Shepard rocket lifted off from Blue Origin’s launch site at 8:00 local time (16:00 Moscow time), climbing to an impressive altitude of 104 km. Among the travelers was Karsen Kitchen, an intern at Blue Origin and a college student, who followed in the footsteps of her father, Jim Kitchen. In March 2022, Jim Kitchen also ventured into space with Blue Origin’s NS-20 flight. However, specific details about Karsen’s flight conditions remain undisclosed. Blue Origin has yet to reveal the ticket prices for their suborbital excursions, unlike Virgin Galactic, which charges $600,000 per seat for a similar experience.
The ongoing rivalry between Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic continues to captivate public interest, with both companies competing to send pioneering individuals to the edge of space. While Karsen Kitchen is now recognized as the youngest woman to reach space, it’s worth noting that the title of the youngest person to fly to the edge of space belongs to 18-year-old Dutch student Oliver Daemen, who flew with Blue Origin in June 2021. Virgin Galactic’s Anastatia Mayers, who reached 88.5 km in August 2023, holds the record for the youngest woman in space.
Blue Origin’s mission also highlighted the diversity of its space travelers, including 82-year-old aviation pioneer Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk, who flew with the company in July 2021. These achievements underscore Blue Origin’s commitment to making space travel accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.
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