Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard Mission NS-38, Slated for January 22

Blue Origin today announced the crew and launch date for New Shepard Mission NS-38. Liftoff from Launch Site One in West Texas is slated for Thursday, January 22. The launch window opens at 8:30 AM CST / 14:30 UTC.

The crew includes Tim Drexler, Linda Edwards, Alain Fernandez, Alberto Gutiérrez, Jim Hendren, and Andrew Yaffe. To date, Blue Origin has flown 92 humans (86 individuals) above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Live launch coverage on BlueOrigin.com will start 30 minutes prior to launch. 

Meet the Crew 

Tim Drexler 

Tim Drexler is the former owner and CEO of Ace Asphalt, where he spent 40 years building the family business into a major civil contracting firm. In 2002, he was recognized with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. After selling the company, Tim pursued his passion for aviation, becoming both a helicopter and airplane pilot. Outside the cockpit, he is an avid gardener, cook, mountain biker, and home-automation enthusiast. Tim has been married to his wife, Pam, for 19 years. Traveling to space will be Tim's next great leap in aviation. 

Dr. Linda Edwards 

Dr. Linda Edwards is a retired board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist whose 40-year career was dedicated to caring for women. While working full-time after high school, she earned her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Penn State University and later her medical degree from The Medical College of Pennsylvania. A traveler to more than 40 countries, wildlife advocate, award-winning equestrian, and two-time breast cancer survivor, she embraces her flight on New Shepard as the fulfillment of a dream four decades in the making for her. She hopes her flight helps to inspire other women to reach for their dreams. 

Alain Fernandez 

Alain Fernandez is an international real estate developer and investor whose three-decade career reflects resilience, discipline, and a relentless drive to carve his own path after a difficult apprenticeship in industrial mechanics. His early years as a scuba instructor across Europe and French Polynesia were marked by a life-altering diving accident at age 22, after which he rebuilt his career through perseverance and entrepreneurial instinct. A dedicated athlete, Alain lives with his wife, stepdaughter, and a lively family of pets. He approaches his New Shepard mission as another opportunity to push himself and explore what’s possible. 

Alberto Gutiérrez 

Alberto Gutiérrez is an entrepreneur, technologist, and world traveler who has visited more than 100 countries across all seven continents. In 2008, he began writing travel guides, which evolved into Civitatis, a leading tours and activities platform serving over one million travelers per month. His voyage on New Shepard offers a new vantage point from which to appreciate the world he has spent a lifetime exploring. 

Jim Hendren 

Jim Hendren is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, former F-15 fighter pilot, and past Commander of the 157th Combat Operations Squadron, with multiple overseas combat deployments. Additionally, Jim is the founder of Hendren Plastics Inc., a global manufacturing company. A Master Electrician, General Contractor, FAA-licensed airline pilot, and dedicated public servant, he spent 15 years on the Gravette School Board and served in both chambers of the Arkansas Legislature, including as Senate President Pro Tempore. A father of four and grandfather of twelve, Jim views his New Shepard flight as a natural extension of his lifelong passion for aviation, exploration, and service. 

Andrew Yaffe 

Andrew Yaffe was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and has spent his life in the recycling industry, driven by a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. His interest in space began early, sparked by Star Trek, and grew into a deep fascination with human spaceflight, planetary exploration, and astronomy. A passionate traveler who enjoys experiencing different cultures and studying ancient history, Andrew is excited to fly to space as it’ll be a continuation of his lifelong curiosity about humanity’s place in the universe and our shared responsibility to care for Earth. 

Follow Blue Origin on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and YouTube, and sign up on BlueOrigin.com to stay current on all mission details. 

New Shepard Astronauts by Mission 

• NS-37 (December 20, 2025): First wheelchair user to go to space, aerospace engineer and disability advocate, Michaela Benthaus; physicist and astronomer, Joey Hyde; world-renowned rocket scientist and aerospace engineer, Hans Koenigsmann; global business executive and entrepreneur, Neal Milch; renewable energy entrepreneur, Adonis Pouroulis; and West Texas native and space enthusiast, Jason Stansell. 
• NS-36 (October 8, 2025): Franchise industry executive Jeff Elgin; entrepreneur and mountaineer Danna Karagussova; technology leader and NS-22 astronaut Clint Kelly III; businessman Will Lewis; entrepreneur and explorer Aaron Newman; and businessman and real estate investor Vitalii Ostrovsky. 
• NS-34 (August 3, 2025): Real estate investor Arvi Bahal; Turkish businessman Gökhan Erdem; Puerto Rican meteorologist Deborah Martorell; British teacher Lionel Pitchford; entrepreneur and NS-28 astronaut J.D. Russell; and Tron founder H.E. Justin Sun, who placed the winning bid for the first seat on New Shepard in 2021.  
• NS-33 (June 29, 2025): Philanthropist Leland (Lee) Larson; conservationist Allie Kuehner and her husband, Carl Kuehner, a real estate developer and conservationist; President and CEO of Commodity Cables Freddie Rescigno, Jr.; lawyer and financial consultant Owolabi Salis; and attorney Jim Sitkin. 
• NS-32 (May 31, 2025): K-12 STEM teacher Aymette Medina Jorge; radiologist and explorer Dr. Gretchen Green; former Panamanian ambassador to the United States Jaime Alemán; entrepreneur Jesse Williams; aerospace executive Mark Rocket; and entrepreneur Paul Jeris. 
• NS-31 (April 14, 2025): Entrepreneur and global STEM advocate Aisha Bowe; bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyễn; CBS Mornings co-host and Oprah Daily editor-at-large Gayle King; global pop superstar Katy Perry; film producer Kerianne Flynn; and New York Times bestselling author, pilot, and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez.  
• NS-30 (February 25, 2025): Entrepreneur Elaine Hyde; Spanish adventurer and TV host Jesús Calleja; Bess Ventures Founder and NS-19 Astronaut Lane Bess; reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Richard Scott; quantitative researcher Tushar Shah; and an undisclosed sixth crew member.
• NS-28 (November 22, 2024): Business professional Austin Litteral; MIT engineer and TV host Emily Calandrelli; Bayshore Capital CEO Henry Wolfond; entrepreneur James (J.D.) Russell; and philanthropists Sharon Hagle and her husband, Marc, who both previously flew on NS-20.  
• NS-26 (August 29, 2024): Cardiologist Dr. Eiman Jahangir; entrepreneur Ephraim Rabin; entrepreneur Eugene Grin; Orbitelle founder Karsen Kitchen; entrepreneur Nicolina Elrick; and University of Florida Professor Rob Ferl.  
• NS-25 (May 19, 2024): Retired CPA Carol Schaller; former Air Force Captain and first Black astronaut candidate Ed Dwight; pilot Gopi Thotakura; Family Tree Maker founder Ken Hess; Industrious Ventures investor Mason Angel; and French entrepreneur Sylvain Chiron.  
• NS-22 (August 4, 2022): Technology leader Clint Kelly III; Dude Perfect cofounder Coby Cotton; Portuguese entrepreneur Mário Ferreira; Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer Sara Sabry; telecommunications executive Steve Young; and British-American mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien.  
• NS-21 (June 4, 2022): Investor and NS-19 Astronaut Evan Dick; pilot and Action Aviation Chairman Hamish Harding; adventurer and Dream Variation Ventures Co-Founder Jaison Robinson; electrical engineer and former NASA test lead Katya Echazarreta; civil production engineer Victor Correa Hespanha; and Insight Equity Founder and explorer Victor Vescovo, Commander, USN (Ret.).  
• NS-20 (March 31, 2022): New Shepard Chief Architect Gary Lai; president of Commercial Space Technologies, LLC, and former associate administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation Dr. George Nield; entrepreneur and adventurer Jim Kitchen; real estate executive Marc Hagle; executive and investor Marty Allen; and SpaceKids Global Founder Sharon Hagle.  
• NS-19 (December 11, 2021): Content creator Cameron Bess; space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor; investor Evan Dick; Bess Ventures Founder Lane Bess; the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, the first American to fly to space, and the namesake of New Shepard Laura Shepard Churchley, and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan.  
• NS-18 (October 13, 2021): Blue Origin’s Vice President, New Shepard Mission & Flight Operations Audrey Powers; entrepreneur and Planet Labs Co-Founder Dr. Chris Boshuizen; entrepreneur Glen de Vries; and actor William Shatner.  
• NS-16 (July 20, 2021): Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos; volunteer firefighter and co-founder of HighPost Capital Mark Bezos; student Oliver Daemen; and aviator Wally Funk.