Blue Origin recently set a new record by launching 21-year-old Karsen Kitchen, making her the youngest woman to travel beyond the Kármán line, which is considered the boundary of space at 62 miles above Earth. This flight, part of the NS-26 mission, took off from Blue Origin’s West Texas spaceport and reached a maximum altitude of 64.6 miles. The mission also included 18-year-old Dutch student Oliver Daemen, who became the youngest person ever to travel to space on a previous flight Space.com
A student from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Karsen Kitchen, is about to enter the record books as the youngest woman to cross the Kármán line, the recognized boundary of outer space, aboard a Blue Origin spacecraft. This historic flight, dubbed New Shepard (NS)-26, is scheduled for lift-off on Thursday morning from Launch Site One in West Texas, with a launch window opening at 9 a.m. EST.
New Shepard #NS26 crew will include Nicolina Elrick, Rob Ferl, Eugene Grin, Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Karsen Kitchen, and Ephraim Rabin. Read more 🚀: https://t.co/qEIyuoLeR4 pic.twitter.com/D5SfdnB3vy
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) July 24, 2024
Karsen Kitchen’s interest in space exploration is a family passion; her father, Jim Kitchen, a professor at UNC, also journeyed into space with Blue Origin in 2022. Karsen, who is studying Communications and Astronomy, aims to carve out a professional path in the space sector. Her academic and extracurricular pursuits include radio astronomy research at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia and work at UNC’s Morehead Planetarium.
🚨 Blue Origin’s(Jeff Bezos) 8th tourist mission launches today, taking six passengers on an 11-minute ride above the Karman line, the boundary of space.#BlueOrigin #JeffBezos pic.twitter.com/pmrrxeiMMQ
— Indian Trend 𝕏 (@IndianTrendX) August 29, 2024
In 2024, she launched Orbitelle, a venture designed to inspire women to embark on careers in the space industry. Besides her academic and entrepreneurial activities, Karsen has also participated in a Zero-Gravity flight to experience weightlessness and is currently training for her scuba diving certification, further preparing her for the rigors of space travel.
Today, Blue Origin will be launching its eighth suborbital space tourism mission, NS-26. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ company aims to send a six-person crew into space. Watch the live action unfold as the mission takes off. pic.twitter.com/AiDgsaeyqi
— Science In 60 Mins (@ScienceIn60Mins) August 29, 2024
Major Points:
- Karsen Kitchen, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student, is set to become the youngest woman to cross the Kármán line, marking a significant milestone in space travel.
- The Blue Origin flight, New Shepard (NS)-26, is planned to launch on Thursday morning from Launch Site One in West Texas, with the launch window opening at 9 a.m. EST.
- Karsen is majoring in Communications and Astronomy at UNC, actively preparing for a career in the space industry with experiences like research at the Green Bank Observatory and work at UNC’s Morehead Planetarium.
- In 2024, Karsen founded Orbitelle, an initiative aimed at encouraging more women to pursue careers in the space industry.
- The mission crew includes Karsen Kitchen alongside Nicolina Elrick, Rob Ferl, Eugene Grin, Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and Ephraim Rabin, showcasing a diverse team participating in this Blue Origin mission.
Charles William III – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
