Blue Origin to remain grounded for now following crash probe

US aviation regulators said Wednesday that Blue Origin must complete "21 corrective actions" before it can resume launches, closing a probe into an uncrewed crash last year that set back Jeff Bezos's space company.

The Federal Aviation Administration report into the September 12, 2022 "mishap" said failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher-than-expected engine operating temperatures caused the New Shepard rocket to fall back to the ground shortly after liftoff, even as the capsule carrying research experiments escaped and floated safely back to Earth.

"During the mishap the onboard launch vehicle systems detected the anomaly, triggered an abort and separation of the capsule from the propulsion module as intended and shut down the engine," said the FAA.

The fact the capsule ejected right away was viewed positively, suggesting that any crew would have been safe if they had been aboard.

But "the closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of New Shepard launches," the agency said.

Blue Origin responded with a post on the social media site X, saying "We've received the FAA's letter and plan to fly soon."

In all, Blue Origin has flown 31 people—some as paying customers and others as guests—since July 2021, when Bezos himself took part in the first flight.

While it has been grounded, rival Virgin Galactic, the company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has pressed on, flying four spaceflights so far this year.

The two companies compete in the emerging space tourism sector, offering a few minutes of weightlessness in "suborbital" space.

Virgin Galactic tickets were sold for between $200,000-$450,000, while Blue Origin doesn't disclose its ticket prices publicly.

© 2023 AFP