Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket to Launch from Cape Canaveral on January 10, Targeting Orbital Market

Jan 6, 2025, 10:35 AM

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its New Glenn rocket for the first time on January 10, 2025, from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch window opens at 1 a.m. EST. This inaugural mission, NG-1, marks Blue Origin's entry into the orbital rocket market, aiming to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the sector. The New Glenn rocket, standing at 98 meters tall and named after astronaut John Glenn, is designed to be reusable and capable of carrying heavy payloads to orbit, with each booster capable of up to 25 flights. It can transport up to 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 13 metric tons to geostationary orbit. The mission will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder, a payload simulator for testing Blue Ring's core flight, ground systems, and operational capabilities. Blue Origin's goal is to reach orbit safely, with an ambitious plan to land the booster on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean. The entire mission is expected to last about 6 hours. This launch is significant as it is Blue Origin's first National Security Space Launch certification flight, potentially paving the way for future contracts with the U.S. Space Force and other clients.