spacex Veteran Hans Koenigsmann to Fly to Space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX employee of 20 years known for his deep involvement in investigating every SpaceX rocket failure, is preparing for a flight to space aboard Blue Origin’s new Shepard suborbital vehicle. The decision, Koenigsmann revealed, came after extensive personal deliberation and consultation with a wide range of industry professionals.
The impetus for considering the flight arose from a conversation regarding the possibility of space travel for individuals with physical limitations. “Then she kind of asked me, ‘Do you think I could be an astronaut?’ I mean, technically, you don’t need your legs, and so on and so forth,” Koenigsmann explained. recognizing the reference to Blue Origin’s New Shepard, he initiated a thorough assessment.
Koenigsmann, acknowledging his inherent risk tolerance, spent considerable time weighing the safety aspects of flying with Blue Origin after dedicating two decades to SpaceX. “I don’t know what they did for safety.I know what SpaceX did for safety,” he stated. He consulted with former SpaceX colleagues, finding a consensus that they would be comfortable flying on New Shepard.
Ultimately, Koenigsmann applied a personal benchmark to his decision.”For me, the ultimate discriminator is if you would let your children fly on it,” he said. Following meetings with the Blue Origin team, he posed detailed technical questions regarding safety protocols, finding their responses ”thoughtfully and correctly” addressed the majority of his concerns.
He noted that in speaking with both acquaintances and those he didn’t know well, he received universal encouragement. “I talked to a lot of people, and there was not a single person who said, ‘No, you shouldn’t do that.’…They all said, ’Well, why not?'” This broad support, combined with his own due diligence, led to his participation in the mission.
