Blue Origin’s reused New Shepard space vehicle. Photo: Blue Origin

[Via Satellite 06-27-2016] NanoRacks manifested and integrated the company’s first payload on Blue Origin’s most recent New Shepard flight, which occurred on June 19. The suborbital mission is the fourth launch and landing of the same New Shepard space vehicle. NanoRacks intends to use Blue Origin’s New Shepard space vehicle to extend the research it supports in microgravity today through the International Space Station (ISS).

“The New Shepard space vehicle is the perfect stepping stone to ISS research” said NanoRacks CEO Jeffrey Manber. “The flight frequency they are working toward means researchers can test experiments two or three times, or even more, before committing to long-term microgravity exposure in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).”

NanoRacks facilitated the three main steps of launching with Blue Origin: preliminary data package, payload safety package, and the launch site integration process. The NanoRacks team served as the primary interface for the researchers using Blue Origin’s vehicle.

“The ability to load research payloads into this rocket as late as four hours prior to flight is priceless,” added Ajeeth Ibrahim, NanoRacks account manager.