Official announcement from Blue Origin or NASA confirming orbital insertion

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to Launch New Glenn Rocket from Cape Canaveral on Monday, Challenging SpaceX

Jan 13, 2025, 12:48 AM

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its New Glenn rocket for the first time from Cape Canaveral, marking a significant milestone in the company's competition with SpaceX, led by Elon Musk. The launch, originally scheduled for Sunday, was postponed due to unfavorable sea conditions and is now planned for Monday at 1 a.m. ET. New Glenn, a 320-foot tall heavy-lift vehicle, aims to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the satellite launch market by offering a larger payload capacity and competitive launch costs. The rocket's first stage is powered by seven BE-4 engines, and it is designed to be reusable, with the booster intended to land on a floating platform named Jacklyn. This launch represents Blue Origin's first attempt at an orbital mission, carrying the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload, a critical step in its strategy to expand into the commercial space sector and provide satellite operators and the US government with an alternative to SpaceX's frequent launches and established market position.