New Shepard vehicle #4 is the fourth flight vehicle of the New Shepard suborbital rocket. It was used for Blue Origin's first crewed launches.
Twenty-fourth flight of New Shepard carrying the same 36 science and research payloads and tens of thousands of postcards from Club For Future that flew on the failed NS-23 flight.
Suborbital NS-4 - Flight Proven ( ) Corn Ranch Landing Pad, West TexasFifteenth flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. During the mission, astronaut operational exercises will be conducted in preparation for human space flight. The primary operations will entail Blue Origin personnel standing in as astronauts entering into the capsule prior to launch. These astronauts will climb the launch tower, get into their seats, buckle their harnesses, and conduct a communications check from their seat with CAPCOM, the Capsule Communicator. The tower operations team will prepare the capsule cabin for launch and then briefly close the capsule hatch. The astronauts will then exit the capsule prior to launch. Post-landing, the astronauts will get inside the capsule to rehearse hatch opening, and exiting the capsule at the landing site. Inside the capsule during the flight will be Mannequin Skywalker, along with more than 25,000 postcards on behalf of Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit organization
Suborbital NS-4 - Flight Proven ( ) Corn Ranch Landing Pad, West TexasFor this mission, the New Shepard crew capsule will be outfitted with upgrades for the astronaut experience as the program nears human space flight. The upgrades include improvements to environmental features such as acoustics and temperature regulation inside the capsule, crew display panels, and speakers with a microphone and push-to-talk button at each seat. The mission will also test a number of astronaut communication and safety alert systems. The capsule will be outfitted with six seats, including one occupied by Mannequin Skywalker.
Suborbital NS-4 - Maiden Flight Corn Ranch Landing Pad, West Texas