Latest news with #JaimeAlemán
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Blue Origin launches 6 passengers on sub-orbital trip to edge of space
An international crew of four men and two women blasted off and rocketed to the edge of space Saturday, enjoying a few minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this-world view before plunging back to Earth to wrap up Blue Origin's twelfth New Shepard passenger flight. "It was such an incredible ride, very moving, very spiritual," Panamanian attorney Jaime Alemán, a former ambassador to the United States, said after landing. "Even better than I ever imagined. I've been traveling, thanks to the gods, all my life, this was like the cherry on top of a cake. I mean, to go up in space and see how huge it is, you can only begin to imagine how much more there is still to discover." Blue Origin's hydrogen-fueled single-stage booster roared to life at 9:39 a.m. EDT and quickly climbed away from the company's West Texas launch site, accelerating to just over 2,000 mph before releasing the New Shepard spacecraft. The crew capsule, equipped with the largest windows of any operational spaceship, continued coasting up to an altitude of nearly 65 miles, just above the internationally recognized boundary between the discernible atmosphere and space, before beginning the descent to landing. At the moment the capsule was released, its three American passengers — Aymette Medina Jorge, Gretchen Green and Paul Jeris — along with Alemán, Canadian Jesse Williams and New Zealand's Mark Rocket, began enjoying about three minutes of weightlessness as they coasted upwards. The reusable New Shepard booster, meanwhile, also continued upward before slowing and beginning its on tail-first descent. Seven minutes after liftoff, the rocket's BE-3 engine re-ignited, four landing legs deployed and the booster settled to a picture-perfect touchdown on a landing pad near the launch site. The gumdrop-shaped New Shepard capsule took a more leisurely flight home, descending under three large parachutes to touchdown in the West Texas desert 10 minutes after liftoff. "You guys, we did it!" one of the passengers exclaimed. Blue Origin has now launched 12 passenger flights since the sub-orbital spacecraft carried Amazon- and Blue Origin-founder Jeff Bezos and three others aloft in July 2021. The company has now launched 68 passengers, including four who have flown twice. Blue Origin and its passengers do not reveal how much it costs to fly aboard a New Shepard, but it's estimated to cost upwards of $500,000 per seat. Jorge's seat was sponsored by Farmacias Similares, a Mexican company focused on accessible healthcare across Latin America. Her crewmates presumably paid for their own tickets. Blue Origin has had the sub-orbital passenger market to itself since June 2024 when competitor Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, retired its original rocketplane to focus on building two upgraded Delta-class spacecraft. Virgin is expected to resume flights next year. Trump says Musk is "not really leaving" as DOGE savings lag behind projections How a toddler's brave walk into the darkness to get help inspired his family California track and field final begins with new rules for transgender athletes
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Blue Origin launches 6 passengers on sub-orbital trip to the edge of space
An international crew of four men and two women blasted off and rocketed to the edge of space Saturday, enjoying a few minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this-world view before plunging back to Earth to wrap up Blue Origin's twelfth New Shepard passenger flight. "It was such an incredible ride, very moving, very spiritual," Panamanian attorney Jaime Alemán, a former ambassador to the United States, said after landing. "Even better than I ever imagined. I've been traveling, thanks to the gods, all my life, this was like the cherry on top of a cake. I mean, to go up in space and see how huge it is, you can only begin to imagine how much more there is still to discover." he New Shepard rocket and crew capsule climb away from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site on the company's 12th crewed sub-orbital space flight. Blue Origin webcast Blue Origin's hydrogen-fueled single-stage booster roared to life at 9:39 a.m. EDT and quickly climbed away from the company's West Texas launch site, accelerating to just over 2,000 mph before releasing the New Shepard spacecraft. The crew capsule, equipped with the largest windows of any operational spaceship, continued coasting up to an altitude of nearly 65 miles, just above the internationally recognized boundary between the discernible atmosphere and space, before beginning the descent to landing. At the moment the capsule was released, its three American passengers — Aymette Medina Jorge, Gretchen Green and Paul Jeris — along with Alemán, Canadian Jesse Williams and New Zealand's Mark Rocket, began enjoying about three minutes of weightlessness as they coasted upwards. The New Shepard single-stage rocket flew itself back to landing near its launch pad for refurbishment and work to ready the vehicle for its next flight. Blue Origin webcast The reusable New Shepard booster, meanwhile, also continued upward before slowing and beginning its on tail-first descent. Seven minutes after liftoff, the rocket's BE-3 engine re-ignited, four landing legs deployed and the booster settled to a picture-perfect touchdown on a landing pad near the launch site. The gumdrop-shaped New Shepard capsule took a more leisurely flight home, descending under three large parachutes to touchdown in the West Texas desert 10 minutes after liftoff. "You guys, we did it!" one of the passengers exclaimed. Passenger Gretchen Green celebrates her trip to space after touchdown in the West Texas desert. Blue Origin webcast Blue Origin has now launched 12 passenger flights since the sub-orbital spacecraft carried Amazon- and Blue Origin-founder Jeff Bezos and three others aloft in July 2021. The company has now launched 68 passengers, including four who have flown twice. Blue Origin and its passengers do not reveal how much it costs to fly aboard a New Shepard, but it's estimated to cost upwards of $500,000 per seat. Jorge's seat was sponsored by Farmacias Similares, a Mexican company focused on accessible healthcare across Latin America. Her crewmates presumably paid for their own tickets. Blue Origin has had the sub-orbital passenger market to itself since June 2024 when competitor Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, retired its original rocketplane to focus on building two upgraded Delta-class spacecraft. Virgin is expected to resume flights next year.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
With Upcoming Space Launch, Adventurer Jaime Alemán Set to Complete the "Grand Slam" of Travel
Having Visited All 193 Countries and Both Poles, Alemán Now Eyes Space and a Human First HOUSTON, May 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jaime Alemán of Panama, a distinguished lawyer and former senior diplomat, is about to make history—again. The pioneering space company Blue Origin announced this week that Mr. Alemán will be among the crew aboard its next suborbital mission, set to launch in the coming weeks. At age 73, this voyage to space will mark the final leg of Alemán's extraordinary, decades-long journey: visiting every country on Earth, setting foot on both the North and South Poles, and now, reaching the edge of space. "I didn't set out on this quest to set a record," said Mr. Alemán. "I did it as a challenge to myself. I wanted to experience our planet in the most intimate way possible—through its boundless beauty, magic, and people. Going to space lets me take all of that in, to see the Earth not as different nations and races and creeds, but as our one home." Upon completion of the flight, Mr. Alemán is expected to become the first person in history to achieve this unique trifecta: all 193 United Nations-recognized countries, both polar extremes, and outer space. An application for official recognition has been submitted to Guinness World Records. A Life of Purpose, A Journey Without Borders Alemán's lifelong pursuit has not only been about travel—it's been about curiosity, diplomacy, and connecting cultures. His adventures have spanned from remote Himalayan villages to war-torn capitals, from desert caravans in the Sahara to scientific outposts in Antarctica. And soon, they will extend beyond Earth. About Jaime Alemán Jaime Alemán is a lawyer, global traveler, former Ambassador of Panama to the United States, and founder of Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee (Alcogal)—one of Latin America's leading law firms. He has long championed cross-cultural understanding, sustainable travel, and international cooperation. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rally International Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
With Upcoming Space Launch, Adventurer Jaime Alemán Set to Complete the "Grand Slam" of Travel
Having Visited All 193 Countries and Both Poles, Alemán Now Eyes Space and a Human First HOUSTON, May 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jaime Alemán of Panama, a distinguished lawyer and former senior diplomat, is about to make history—again. The pioneering space company Blue Origin announced this week that Mr. Alemán will be among the crew aboard its next suborbital mission, set to launch in the coming weeks. At age 73, this voyage to space will mark the final leg of Alemán's extraordinary, decades-long journey: visiting every country on Earth, setting foot on both the North and South Poles, and now, reaching the edge of space. "I didn't set out on this quest to set a record," said Mr. Alemán. "I did it as a challenge to myself. I wanted to experience our planet in the most intimate way possible—through its boundless beauty, magic, and people. Going to space lets me take all of that in, to see the Earth not as different nations and races and creeds, but as our one home." Upon completion of the flight, Mr. Alemán is expected to become the first person in history to achieve this unique trifecta: all 193 United Nations-recognized countries, both polar extremes, and outer space. An application for official recognition has been submitted to Guinness World Records. A Life of Purpose, A Journey Without Borders Alemán's lifelong pursuit has not only been about travel—it's been about curiosity, diplomacy, and connecting cultures. His adventures have spanned from remote Himalayan villages to war-torn capitals, from desert caravans in the Sahara to scientific outposts in Antarctica. And soon, they will extend beyond Earth. About Jaime Alemán Jaime Alemán is a lawyer, global traveler, former Ambassador of Panama to the United States, and founder of Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee (Alcogal)—one of Latin America's leading law firms. He has long championed cross-cultural understanding, sustainable travel, and international cooperation. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rally International Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NZ Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Aerospace entrepeneur Mark Rocket to become first Kiwi in space on Blue Origin flight
He's also the current president of Aerospace New Zealand and a seed investor of Rocket Lab, co-directing the company from 2007 to 2011. Rocket said he hopes heading skywards will inspire more New Zealanders to get involved in its fledgling aerospace sector. 'This flight is a significant personal milestone and a signal that New Zealand is an active player in the global aerospace industry,' he wrote in a media release. 'We have the talent, ambition, and ingenuity to make major contributions. 'Space is no longer the domain of superpowers and science fiction. It's an exciting frontier for innovation, climate solutions, economic opportunity, and global collaboration.' Twenty-five years ago, Rocket pledged he'd become the first New Zealander to reach space, legally changing his surname in 2000 as a reflection of his commitment to the field. Initially buying a ticket to board a Virgin Galactic rocket in 2006, Rocket changed to the Blue Origin programme after Virgin Galactic began experiencing delays and issues in launching its commercial spaceflights. The five individuals joining Rocket are a group of entrepreneurs, founders and space lovers: Panama's Jaime Alemán, Canada's Jesse Williams and Gretchen Green, Paul Jeris and Aymette Medina Jorge from the United States. New Shepard's most recent mission in April, N-31, sent the first all-female flight crew to space, while Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos went up in the company's first crewed flight in July 2021. The fully automated New Shepard rocket system carries passengers to an altitude of 100km - past the boundary of space - in a capsule, which then descends to Earth using parachutes. The entire flight takes around 11 minutes to complete. Speaking to 1News about Blue Origin's announcement, Rocket said space travel is on his mind 'all the time'. 'Ever since I was a kid. I've always been fascinated by space technology and space travel. I remember at primary school I did a project about the planets.' He wasn't too bothered by the quick flight time, saying 'buckling in' and 'getting ready to experience the 3Gs or rocket-powered flight up to space will be pretty phenomenal'.
