A US fully reusable vertical–take-off, vertical-landing, sub-orbital space vehicle manufactured by Blue Origins. The single-stage system consists of a pressurized capsule atop a booster that launches vertically and accelerates for approximately two-and-a-half minutes before the engine cuts off. The capsule then separates from the booster to coast quietly into space. After a few minutes of free fall, the booster performs an autonomously controlled rocket-powered vertical landing, while the capsule lands under parachutes, both ready to be used again. Its first launch (Shephard 1) occurred successfully on 29 April 2015, but the booster crashed on landing. Since then, a Shephard 2 vehicle has had five additional successful launches and five successful landings. The last launch and landing occurred on 12 December 2017, using a new Shephard 3 vehicle, which also had a successful in-flight escape test on 6 April 2018.
New Shepard booster landing on a pad in West Texas after its successful Mission 7 on 12 December 2017.
Credit: Blue Origin
- unconscious
- unconsolidated
- uncontrolled format string
- uncorrected moment
- uncorrelated variables
- uncountable
- uncoupling protein
- uncovered interest parity
- UNCTAD
- undae
- undaform
- undated security
- undathem
- undecidability
- undecidable
- undepleted mantle
- under-capitalized
- underclass
- undercliff
- undercooling
- undercoupling
- undercurrent release
- underdamped
- underdamping
- underdetermination