Bezos’ space programme blasts off next month

Washington – Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will send its first crew to space on 20 July and is offering one of the seats to the winner of an online auction, the company said this week.

The trip will last a total of 10 minutes, four of which passengers will spend above the Karman line that marks the recognised boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space. “We’ve been perfecting our ability to launch, land and repeat,” a video accompanying the announcement said.

“Our next launch will be the first time astronauts will fly aboard New Shepard.”

The reusable suborbital rocket system was named after Alan Shepard who, 50 years ago, became the first American in space.