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US Private Space Company Blue Origin Tests Lunar Landing Sensor in Partnership With NASA

© AP PhotoThis illustration made available by NASA in April 2020 depicts Artemis astronauts on the Moon.
This illustration made available by NASA in April 2020 depicts Artemis astronauts on the Moon. - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Blue Origin, the private space company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, successfully completed the seventh test flight of its latest New Shepherd rocket system, including a test of a sensor developed with NASA for precision landings on the moon, the company announced in a press release on Tuesday.

Blue Origin's New Shepard system features a single booster topped with a crew capsule designed to carry paying space tourists to the edge of outer space, about 60 miles above Earth's surface, the release said.

"There were 12 payloads onboard including the Deorbit, Descent and Landing Sensor Demonstration under the NASA Tipping Point partnership. The lunar landing sensor demo … will enable long-term lunar exploration, as well as future Mars missions", the release said.

Tipping point refers to NASA deals with 14 US companies, including Blue Origin, for technology and equipment to place two American astronauts on the Moon by 2024 and later send humans to Mars.

After separating, the capsule floats for a few minutes in microgravity before returning to Earth with parachutes while the reusable booster rocket lands on its own, the release added.

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