Photo: GREGG NEWTON / AFP / Getty Images
Jeff Bezos' space company, Blue Origin, successfully launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit on its first test flight on Thursday (January 16). The launch took place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, sending a prototype satellite into orbit. Named after astronaut John Glenn, the 320-foot rocket is designed to be partially reusable. Although the booster stage missed its landing on a barge in the Atlantic, the primary goal of reaching orbit was achieved. Blue Origin's CEO, Dave Limp, celebrated the milestone, stating, "We did it! On to spring and trying again on the landing."
The launch is a significant step for Blue Origin, founded by Bezos in 2000, as it aims to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX. The New Glenn rocket is intended to carry spacecraft and eventually astronauts to orbit and the moon. The company plans six to eight flights this year, with the next one scheduled for spring. Despite the booster landing failure, Bezos expressed optimism, stating that landing the booster was "a little crazy" to attempt on the first flight. The successful orbit achievement was praised by Musk, who congratulated Bezos and his team.
The launch also marks a key step toward certification by the Pentagon for national security missions. The Defense Department has selected Blue Origin, along with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, to launch missions worth $5.6 billion. Before undertaking these missions, New Glenn must demonstrate its reliability and safety. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is part of a new wave of large rockets, including SpaceX's Starship and NASA's Space Launch System, designed to advance space exploration.
