Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully achieves orbit on its maiden launch

Science & Technology Science

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-01-16 11:17:47 |

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After years of delays and setbacks, Jeff Bezos's space company, Blue Origin, has successfully launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time. However, efforts to land the rocket's first stage on a sea-based platform were unsuccessful.

Despite the landing mishap, the achievement marks a significant milestone for Blue Origin, positioning it as a potential competitor to Elon Musk's SpaceX in the private space industry. "I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt," said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp in a statement.

Standing as tall as a 30-story building, the New Glenn rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at approximately 2 a.m. local time (7 a.m. GMT). The launch followed a history of challenges, including a previous cancellation caused by ice forming in the rocket engine pipes.

About 13 minutes after launch, the rocket's second stage successfully reached orbit, a long-term goal for Blue Origin since its founding over two decades ago. The rocket carried a test payload called Blue Ring Pathfinder, which included communications devices, power systems, and a flight computer.

The mission also aimed to recover the first-stage booster by landing it on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean to enable future reuse and reduce costs. However, data transmission from the booster ceased shortly after liftoff. "We knew landing our booster on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring," Limp added.

Go!