New display at Space Camp: Mannequin Skywalker from Blue Origin

Mannequin Skywalker is an ATD, an anthropomorphic test device used by Blue Origin to test flight simulations on the New Shepard launch vehicle. The Mannequin was an invaluable asset in designing and improving the passenger experience during spaceflight. The space test dummy was named after Anakin Skywalker, the famous Jedi/Sith from the Star Wars movies. Now that its mission is complete, Mannequin has been placed on a permanent exhibit at the US Space & Rocket Center, where thousands of visitors can admire it.

Blue Origin’s test Mannequin helped perfect the passenger experience

According to Kevin Sprogue, chief astronaut trainer at Blue Origin, they used mannequins to test how the human body would react to space flight. Mannequin Skywalker was equipped with a weight vest in order to better simulate the experience and vital signs of heavier weight astronauts.

It seems there were two Mannequin Skywalker dummies used during flight simulations. One was fully instrumented on the inside, and the other was instrumented on the outside. While Skywalker will be staying at Space Camp, Blue Origin has decided to keep the second dummy to run further tests.

Sprogue adds that the Mannequin went above the internationally-recognised definition of space, which officially makes him a non-human astronaut.

Mannequin Skywalker’s donation is in addition to a $1 million donation to Space Camp

It seems Blue Origin is very interested in recruiting bright-minded students to someday join their ranks at designing the approaching Space Age of humanity. The company wants students to learn from a young age so everyone can “honestly pick up where we are leaving off. “

This newest addition to Space Camp marks another in a long line of donations by Blue Origin and Club for the Future, a non-profit organisation funded by Blue Origin.