Blue Origin - New Shepard

American Private Space Company Blue Origin owned by Jeff Bezos had its first Developmental launch of its New Shepard rocket on 29th April 2015 when it reached an altitude of 307,000 feet and safely parachuted back.

New Shepard Rocket

The New Shepard is named in honor of the first American in space, Alan Shepard.

The second test flight 23 November 2015 achieved an altitude of 329,839ft (100.5km) officially the edge of space (

Kármán line 100Km). The most important achievement was not just landing the Capsule but the entire rocket.

Future

Jeff Bezos showing updated rocket concept.

Blue Origin hope to Launch an upgraded rocket using the currently in development BE-4 engine from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36 buy 2020.

BE-4

The BE-4 uses liquid oxygen (LOx) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) – a commercially available form of methane – to produce 550,000-lbf thrust at sea level.

This engine is also proposed to power the "United Launch Alliance" Vulcan Rocket also slated for around 2020.