Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, a massive spacecraft owned by Jeff Bezos’ space venture, successfully took off from Florida on its inaugural mission for paying customers on Thursday. The rocket carried two NASA satellites bound for Mars and achieved a significant milestone by flawlessly landing its reusable booster for the first time.
The powerful two-stage rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking Blue Origin’s first mission since the NG-1 New Glenn vehicle’s initial flight in January 2025. This launch symbolizes a major step for Blue Origin as it aims to compete more effectively with SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, in the rocket launch industry.
After several delays due to weather conditions, the rocket’s seven BE-4 liquid-fueled engines ignited, propelling it through the sky amidst roaring flames and billowing clouds of vapor. The successful launch was broadcast live, showcasing the rocket’s journey into space.
Approximately 10 minutes post-launch, the New Glenn booster returned and landed on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean, marking a crucial achievement in Blue Origin’s pursuit of reusable technology. This accomplishment, previously pioneered by SpaceX, is a significant advancement for the company after an unsuccessful attempt earlier in the year.
The landing was met with cheers at Blue Origin’s Rocket Park mission control center in Cape Canaveral. Following the booster’s safe return, the upper stage of the New Glenn rocket successfully deployed NASA’s twin EscaPADE spacecraft into outer space, commencing their 22-month expedition to Mars.
Blue Origin’s Vice President, Arianne Cornell, hailed the launch as the start of a new chapter in the company’s spaceflight endeavors. The two NASA spacecraft, Blue and Gold, will conduct an 11-month study of Mars’ space weather environment upon reaching the planet in 2027.
EscaPADE’s mission to analyze the interaction between solar winds and the Martian magnetic field, potentially affecting the planet’s atmosphere, was delayed due to setbacks in New Glenn rocket development. The spacecraft was built by Rocket Lab and equipped with instruments from the University of California, Berkeley.
Additionally, the rocket carried a secondary payload from Viasat for an in-space communications relay demonstration. Blue Origin’s previous payload on its debut flight in January was a prototype for the Blue Ring spacecraft, under development for military and commercial purposes.
Blue Origin, established by Bezos in 2000, has focused on space tourism with its New Shepard rocketship. The company is now investing in the development of the New Glenn rocket, designed for heavy-lift missions to orbit. Named after John Glenn, the spacecraft offers enhanced capabilities compared to its competitors, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
NASA’s investment in the EscaPADE mission, totaling $55 million, and the $18 million payment to Blue Origin for the New Glenn flight, demonstrate the agency’s support for commercial space endeavors. Blue Origin is also involved in supplying engines for other rockets and collaborating on NASA’s Artemis lunar program and a space station project.
Despite its progress, Blue Origin still trails behind SpaceX, which has conducted numerous successful missions with its Falcon rockets. SpaceX’s ongoing development of the Starship rocket, intended for various missions including lunar and Martian expeditions, highlights the fierce competition in the space industry.