Blue Origin NS-26

Blue Origin NS-26 was a sub-orbital spaceflight mission, operated by Blue Origin, launched on August 29, 2024, using the New Shepard rocket.^[2][3][4][1]

Prime crew

Position	Crew
Tourist	Nicolina Elrick First spaceflight
Scientist	Rob Ferl First spaceflight
Tourist	Eugene Grin First spaceflight
Tourist	Eiman Jahangir First spaceflight
Tourist	Karsen Kitchen First spaceflight
Tourist	Ephraim Rabin First spaceflight

The flight's crew included NASA-funded scientist Rob Ferl who is a professor at the University of Florida. During the flight, he performed experiments studying the change of gene expression in one type of plant when the plant was exposed to microgravity and other different phases of flight. Professor Ferl was the first NASA-funded researcher flying aboard New Shepard (or indeed aboard any of the commercial suborbital space vehicles of the 21st century). His flight and experiments were funded by NASA's Flight Opportunities program.^[1]

Eiman Jahangir's flight was sponsored by the cryptocurrency organization MoonDAO.^[1]

Karsen Kitchen became the youngest woman to cross the Kármán line (100 km) at 21 years old.^[1]