June 25, 2025 — Blue Origin’s latest crewed suborbital mission, NS-33, has once again been delayed due to adverse weather conditions in West Texas. The mission, which aims to send six civilians to suborbital space aboard the company’s New Shepard rocket, was originally scheduled for Saturday, June 21, but high winds forced the launch team to postpone. A second attempt on Sunday morning was also scrubbed for the same reason.
Blue Origin has not yet confirmed when the next launch window will open but said in a social media update that its team is currently “assessing our next launch opportunity.”
13th Human Spaceflight for Blue Origin
As reported by Space.com, the NS-33 mission marks the 33rd overall flight for New Shepard and the company’s 13th human spaceflight. While most of the rocket’s previous missions have focused on uncrewed payloads and research, NS-33 will fly six civilian passengers, continuing Blue Origin’s efforts to expand commercial spaceflight.
The civilian crew includes:
Allie and Carl Kuehner, conservationists and explorers
Leland Larson, philanthropist and beekeeper
Freddie Rescigno Jr., entrepreneur
Owolabi Salis, author and attorney
Jim Sitkin, retired lawyer
About the New Shepard System
The New Shepard system is fully autonomous and reusable, designed to deliver passengers to suborbital space for a roughly 10 to 12-minute flight. During the experience, passengers enjoy several minutes of weightlessness and stunning views of Earth from the edge of space, before the capsule returns safely to the ground under parachutes.
Blue Origin’s first human spaceflight launched in July 2021, famously carrying founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation legend Wally Funk, and Dutch student Oliver Daemen.
Weather Remains a Challenge
While the team is eager to resume flights, the delay of NS-33 highlights how even the most advanced spaceflight operations remain at the mercy of Earth’s weather conditions. No new target date has been announced, but NS-33 will be the company’s fourth human spaceflight this year, and expectations remain high for the next attempt.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
