Jeff Bezos Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launches into orbit on first test flight from Florida
The Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin sent its massive new rocket into space Thursday — and carried a prototype satellite into orbit thousands of miles above the Earth’s surface.
The seven-engine, 320-foot New Glenn rocket — named for late astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the planet — blasted off a NASA launch pad in Florida on its first test flight, drawing cheers from the gathered crowd who huddled on nearby beaches to watch the predawn excursion.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Jan. 16, 2025. AP
Blue Origin employees celebrated alongside Bezos, the company’s founder, at Mission Control once the craft achieved its orbital aim about 13 minutes later.
“What a fantastic day,” said launch commentator Ariane Cornell.
The launch earned quick social media plaudits from fellow billionaire space mogul Elon Musk, who posted, “Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt!” on his X account.
The company had also hoped to land its booster on a floating barge in the Atlantic so it could be recycled — but that didn’t work out.
That was OK with Bezos, who said before the flight that it was a “little crazy” to try to recover the machinery on the first try.
Bezos has heavily funded the company, but he won’t say how much he’s invested.
Jeff Bezos watches the launch from mission control. Reuters
The New Glenn rocket leaves a streak in the sky as it goes into orbit. REUTERS
He founded Blue Origin 25 years ago and has been launching wealthy passengers to the edge of space since 2021.
The company also invested more than $1 billion into Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a historic site that once launched NASA’s Mariner and Pioneer spacecraft a half-century ago.
Blue Origin hopes to launch about a half-dozen more New Glenn flights this year — and eventually, it may haul spacecraft and astronauts into orbit and onto the moon.
“There’s room for lots of winners,” Bezos said from the nearby rocket factory over the weekend, adding that this was the “very, very beginning of this new phase of the space age, where we’re all going to work together as an industry … to lower the cost of access to space.”
New Glenn’s flight was supposed to take off on Monday, but ice buildup in the rocket’s plumbing delayed the launch.
The rocket’s debut was supposed to help send two NASA spacecraft to Mars, but the idea was scrapped last October because it wasn’t ready in time.
The two small spacecrafts — named Escapade — will still fly on the rocket. But not until spring at the earliest.
New Glenn was supposed to fly before dawn Monday, but ice buildup in critical plumbing caused a delay. The rocket is built to haul spacecraft and eventually astronauts to orbit and also the moon. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Eventually, they will study the Martian atmosphere and magnetic environment while orbiting the red planet.
Blue Origin’s lunar lander — aptly named Blue Moon — will also carry astronauts onto the moon.
New Glenn is the latest in a series of big, new rockets to launch in recent years. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Flames shoot out from the engine during the launch. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off on its inaugural launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday morning. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
