Blue Origin's 4th Reusable Rocket Launch and Landing in Photos

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Return to Earth

Blue Origin

As on previous New Shepard test flights, the booster lands first on a pad at Blue Origin's West Texas proving grounds. Here, the booster's landing legs have deployed. Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

Smooth Landing

Blue Origin

A view of New Shepard after its landing as its space capsule releases two drogue chutes ahead if its own landing. The booster landing occurred at 10:44 a.m. EDT (1444 GMT). Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

One Parachute Down

Blue Origin

New Shepard's passenger capsule (unmanned on this flight) is seen with two of its three parachutes deployed. Testing how the capsule performs under the two-chute scenario was the main goal of the fourth test flight. Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

Almost There

Blue Origin

The New Shepard capsule nears its landing. The capsule only needs one parachute to make a safe landing, according to Blue Origin representatives. It carries there, however, for redundancy. Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

Touchdown!

Blue Origin

New Shepard's capsule landed back on Earth at 10:45 a.m. EDT (1445 GMT). Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

Back on Earth

Blue Origin

Blue Origin's New Shepard booster and capsule are seen back on Earth after their successful fourth test flight on June 19, 2016. Read our full story on Blue Origin's 4th successful launch.

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Tariq Malik
Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.