Private company Blue Origin successfully launched a reusable rocket carrying eight Nasa-sponsored experiments to the edge of space on Wednesday. Lift-off took place at 15:05 GMT (09:05 CST) from its dedicated launch site in west Texas.
The whole mission lasted just 10 mins 15s. After reaching an altitude of 107km (67 miles) the New Shepard rocket returned to Earth to make a soft landing. The capsule carrying the Nasa experiments separated at the highest point of the flight and parachuted back to Earth. The experiments were created by Nasa and American universities.
They were mainly designed to look at ways of improving spaceflight. The New Shepard rocket that flew on Wednesday was making its fourth flight. It is the third one to be used by the company.
A fourth version is currently being built. It will be able to carry humans on space tourism flights to the edge of space and could be ready by the end of the year. Blue Origin is owned by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos. The company aims to eventually launch payloads into orbit, using a larger rocket called the New Glenn, which is currently in development.
