Blue Origin’s upcoming New Shepard flight, scheduled for January 28, will demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to generate lunar gravity, a first for the suborbital spacecraft.

Unlike previous flights that experienced microgravity, the New Shepard crew capsule will be spun using thrusters to simulate lunar gravity.

This will provide over two minutes of lunar gravity for 29 payloads, including 17 from NASA, in contrast to the brief seconds of simulated lunar gravity seen in parabolic flights, Space News has reported.

The mission aims to support NASA’s lunar research and could eventually be adapted to simulate gravity environments for Mars and beyond.

Written by B.C. Begley