Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Reaches Orbit on Maiden Flight, Aims to Rival SpaceX

Jan 16, 2025, 07:36 AM

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos 24 years ago, successfully launched its 98-meter-tall (320-foot-tall) New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time early Thursday morning from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket lifted off at 2:03 am EST (0703 UTC) after previous delays and a last-minute scrub on Monday. The mission carried a payload prototype called the Blue Ring Pathfinder into orbit, marking a significant milestone for Blue Origin as it aims to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX in the commercial space industry. Although the rocket successfully reached orbit, the company missed the booster landing on a ship during descent. The reusable booster, named "So You're Telling Me There's a Chance," failed to land as planned.