Fourth New Shepard Crewed Flight Hopes to Inspire Kids
SpaceKids Global founder Sharon Hagle will take her first flight into space on March 23 as a member of the fourth crewed Blue Origin New Shepard flight. The 11-minute flight will take the six-person crew 62 miles above earth, traveling over three times the speed of sound to float weightless for several minutes. Joining Hagle on the flight will be her husband, Marc Hagle, making them the first married couple to fly to space on a commercial vehicle.
"There has never been a more exciting time for the future of space exploration, and our children are witnessing moments that could change the trajectory of their careers and lives."
Sharon Hagle.
Hagle’s first trip to space is an exciting milestone for SpaceKids Global, aligning perfectly with the organization’s mission to encourage elementary kids to explore space careers and pursue STEAM+ education.
SpaceKids Global is currently partnering with ZERO-G Experience to offer two kids, ages 8-12, a special opportunity to experience a weightless environment that allows you to float, flip, and soar like an astronaut. SpaceKids Global’s national essay competition runs through March 21, 2022. The students will win a ZERO-G Experience on a specially-modified Boeing 727 airplane. Essays on the topic “Why I want to go to space” will be judged by representatives from high profile space industry organizations.
“This flight represents what’s possible for every child who develops an interest in space. There has never been a more exciting time for the future of space exploration, and our children are witnessing moments that could change the trajectory of their careers and lives if introduced to space careers and STEAM+ education at an early enough age,” said Sharon Hagle, founder of SpaceKids Global. “It has been my personal mission to bring the possibility of space to kids. I see no better way than to lead by example with the amazing opportunity presented by Blue Origin. My hope is that our flight will encourage as many children as possible to enter the essay competition for the chance to fly like an astronaut."
Liftoff is currently targeted for 8:30 a.m. CDT / 13:30 UTC from Launch Site One in West Texas.
Each astronaut on board the fourth New Shepard crewed flight (NS-20) will carry a postcard to space on behalf of Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, whose Postcards to Space program gives students access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets. The Club’s mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM for the benefit of Earth.
Joining the Hagles on the crew are:
Turnaround CEO and angel investor Marty Allen
Actor Pete Davidson
Teacher, entrepreneur, and world explorer Jim Kitchen
Dr. George Nield, president of Commercial Space Technologies, LLC
(Source: SpaceKids Global and Blue Origin news releases. Image courtesy Blue Origin)