Blue Origin will resume manned flights as early as May 19, nearly two years after flights were grounded following the New Shepherd 23 “mishap.”

The unmanned New Shepherd 23 suffered an issue on its flight on September 12, 2022. The capsule, along with its paylod, was able to land safely, but the booster failed and crashed. The FAA grounded Blue Origin until an investigation could determine the cause of the issue, ruling it a “mishap” in late 2023 and paving the way for the company to eventually resume flights once corrective action was taken.

Blue Origin has been cleared to resume flights, with the company’s first manned flight scheduled for May 19, with the NS-25 marking its sevenths manned flight. The flight has historical significance as it will carry the first Black astronaut candidate:

Blue Origin today revealed the six-person crew flying on its NS-25 mission. The crew includes: Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, Gopi Thotakura, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the nation’s first Black astronaut candidate but was never granted the opportunity to fly to space.

The company emphasizes its sustainability achievements:

From an environmental standpoint, nearly 99% of New Shepard’s dry mass is reused, including the booster, capsule, engine, landing gear, and parachutes. New Shepard’s engine is fueled by highly efficient liquid oxygen and hydrogen. During flight, the only byproduct is water vapor with no carbon emissions.

While May 19 is the tentative date for the launch, the company says the final date will be announced soon.