This graphic aptly shows the differences in complexity between the two flight plans, but it doesn&#x27;t show the biggest difference between the two rockets. When the Falcon 9, enters space at the height of 100 km, it is traveling at 5000 km&#x2F;h with 125 metric tons of payload[0]. Blue Origin&#x27;s New Shepard, the best I can tell was traveling at ~0 km&#x2F;h at that height, as it reached apogee at the height of 100.5 km and began falling back to Earth.<p>According to Musk[0], a first stage of a rocket is judged by the energy it can impart to its payload at the standardized height of 100 km. Merely getting to 100 km is the easy part. The Falcon 9 is able to deliver 120 giga-joules to its payload at the height of 100 km, while performing a return to launch site landing. While it appears the New Shepard had ~0 joules left at 100 km.<p>[0] - <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.spacex.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2015&#x2F;12&#x2F;21&#x2F;background-tonights-launch" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.spacex.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2015&#x2F;12&#x2F;21&#x2F;background-tonights-la...</a><p>[1] - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.blueorigin.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;news&#x2F;blue-origin-makes-historic-rocket-landing" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.blueorigin.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;news&#x2F;blue-origin-makes-histo...</a>