Posted: Sat, Jan 31, 2026, 2:45 PM ET (1945 GMT)

Blue Origin announced Friday it was halting New Shepard suborbital flights for at least two years to focus on lunar exploration. The company said it would pause the New Shepard program so that it could divert resources to human lunar exploration, including its Blue Moon lunar lander. New Shepard vehicles have made 38 suborbital flights, about half of which have carried people. The most recent New Shepard flight was Jan. 22, and the company gave no indication at the time it would suspend flights. Last year, a company executive said it would work to increase flights in the next few years.