Blue Origin launches, lands reusable rocket carrying astronaut dummy named Mannequin Skywalker

Orlando, Fla. — Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, has scored another successful spaceflight.

Blue Origin launched its reusable suborbital rocket, the New Shepard on Thursday in West Texas.

The rocket reached the edge of space, around 66 miles up, and returned landing several minutes later on a target.

The capsule floated back to Earth via parachute, carrying the company’s test dummy, Mannequin Skywalker.

He was carrying some of the 50,000 postcards sent by students from around the world as part of Blue Origin’s Club for the Future nonprofit.

Thursday marked the 14th launch and landing for New Shepard.

Blue Origin is also working on a larger heavy lift rocket called New Glenn that will launch from Cape Canaveral later this year, according to their website.

Cox Media Group