Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket for the first time on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for Jeff Bezos’ space company. The rocket took off from Florida in the early morning hours, reaching space and achieving orbit during its inaugural mission. Despite an attempt to land the rocket’s booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean, the booster was lost during reentry.
This launch is a pivotal moment for Blue Origin, which was founded 25 years ago but had not previously ventured into orbit. The company’s smaller New Shepard rocket had been used for suborbital flights. The successful flight of New Glenn signifies Blue Origin’s entry into a market dominated by SpaceX and is crucial for Bezos’ ambitious plans.
The New Glenn flight carried a test payload in honor of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth. Blue Origin had initially planned to launch NASA’s “ESCAPADE” mission to Mars on this debut flight, but the mission was postponed. The company also has commitments from Amazon’s Project Kuiper for satellite launches and plans for lunar missions and a space station.
Headquartered in Kent, Washington, Blue Origin has over 10,000 employees across various locations in the United States. The company aims to increase the frequency of New Glenn launches and had faced delays since its original target debut in 2020.
The New Glenn rocket, standing at 322 feet tall and powered by seven BE-4 engines, is designed for reusability. It can carry payloads of up to 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, positioning it between SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets in terms of payload capacity.
While Blue Origin has not disclosed pricing details for New Glenn launches, it has invested significantly in the rocket’s development. The company has secured a place in the military launch market through programs like the National Security Space Launch, allowing it to compete for contracts alongside SpaceX and ULA.
Despite facing competition in the industry, Bezos remains optimistic about Blue Origin’s future prospects.
