First test-flight of upcoming Blue Origin space tourism vehicle deemed success

CHIHUAHUAN DESERT, Texas, May 2 (UPI) -- Private space company Blue Origin successfully launched and landed a tourism vehicle, New Shepard, Wednesday from a remote area in western Texas, USAToday.com reported Friday.

"Any astronauts on board would have had a very nice journey into space and a smooth return," founder and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wrote in a blog post.

The capsule, fit for six people, reached an altitude of more than 307,000 feet, or 58 miles, effectively breaking through the mesosphere located above the ozone layer.

One major goal for private space companies like Blue Origin and Tesla is to reuse their vehicles' propulsion modules, or boosters, in order to increase flight accessibility to the public. Wednesday's test flight did not reach that goal, but Bezos is optimistic that the assembly of new modules is already underway. "We'll be ready to fly again soon," he wrote.

Company president Rob Meyerson told reporters that "significant" testing must be done before they invite willing humans on board for trial runs.