Blue Origin has scrubbed the launch of its NS-37 mission. The liftoff of the New Shepard booster was scheduled at 9:30 pm IST (10 am CST) on December 19 but the countdown was terminated at T-59 seconds. In an update, Blue Origin said that the scrub resulted from an issue mission team observed with pre-flight built-in checks. The launch has been postponed indefinitely for now.
We are standing down from today’s NS-37 mission after the launch team observed an issue with our built-in checks prior to the flight. We are assessing our next opportunity for launch.
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) December 18, 2025
“We are standing down from today’s NS-37 mission after the launch team observed an issue with our built-in checks prior to the flight. We are assessing our next opportunity for launch,” Blue Origin posted on X. Before the scheduled liftoff, New Shepard went into a hold twice in nearly an hour due to upper level winds at the launch site and the anomaly.
Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission
The NS-37 mission has six space tourists including the first wheelchair user Michaela Benthaus or Michi (pronounced mee-hee). She is an aerospace engineer who lost her ability to walk after a mountain biking accident which injured her spinal cord in 2018. According to Blue Origin, Michi “flew aboard a Zero-G Research Flight in 2022 and completed an analog astronaut mission. She continues to pursue sporting activities outside of work, including wheelchair tennis.”
Michaela (Michi) Benthaus will become the first wheelchair user to cross the Kármán line. Her story, advocacy, and passion are evident in everything she does. pic.twitter.com/LteGwxXFY8
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) December 18, 2025
Accompanying Michi are Joey Hyde, a Florida-based physicist, Hans Koenigsmann – a rocket scientist and former SpaceX employee, Neal Milch – a global business executive and entrepreneur, Adonis Pouroulis – an entrepreneur, investor and mining engineer, and Jason Stansell – a computer scientist.
NS-37 will mark Blue Origin’s seventh crew mission of 2025 and 16th overall flight. Besides, it will also be the company’s 37th New Shepard mission launched to date.
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