Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Achieves – Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, achieved a major milestone on January 13th, 2025, with the successful orbital launch of its New Glenn rocket. This uncrewed test flight marks a significant step forward in the company’s ambitions to compete in the commercial launch market dominated by SpaceX.
New Glenn Takes Flight: A New Era for Blue Origin
The 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a technology demonstrator for Blue Origin’s planned Blue Ring spacecraft. Despite several delays due to technical checks and weather conditions, the launch proceeded smoothly, with the rocket’s seven BE-4 engines powering it through the atmosphere.
Blue Origin New Glenn Launch live
Today’s launch is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team,” said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin. “New Glenn represents a leap forward in our capabilities and brings us closer to our goal of millions of people living and working in space.”Key features of New Glenn include:
- Seven BE-4 engines in the first stage, running on methane and liquid oxygen
- Two hydrogen-powered engines in the upper stage
- A reusable first stage designed to land on a seafaring platform named “Jacklyn”
The BE-4 engine, already in use by United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, represents a significant advancement in American rocketry. It replaces Russian-made engines previously used by some U.S. launch providers, enhancing national security in the space sector.
While the primary mission objective of reaching orbit was achieved, Blue Origin also attempted a challenging first-stage booster landing on Jacklyn. This ambitious secondary goal mirrors SpaceX’s successful droneship landings and underscores Blue Origin’s commitment to reusability and cost reduction in space access.
The success of this mission positions Blue Origin to pursue lucrative national security launch contracts and establishes the company as a serious contender in the orbital launch market. As the space industry continues to evolve, New Glenn’s capabilities could play a crucial role in shaping the future of space exploration and commercialization.
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