Bezos’ Big Rocket attempts its first launch

Update: January 10, 3:38 pm ET: All signs point to a launch during the early hours of Sunday morning, with the three-hour launch window opening at 1:00 am ET on Sunday, January 12 at 1:00 am ET.

Update: January 9, 1:20 pm ET: New Glenn’s inaugural launch has been delayed until Sunday, January 12, with a launch window opening at 1 a.m. ET, due to unfavorable weather expected at the ocean landing craft.

The original article follows below.

Blue Origin is highly anticipated New Glenn rocket prepares for its grand debut. If all goes well with the rocket’s maiden flight, it could be some competition for industry favorite SpaceX.

New Glenn is scheduled for liftoff during a three-hour launch window that opens Friday, Jan. 10 at 1 a.m. ET. The rocket will be launched from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. A livestream of the launch will begin about an hour before liftoff at Blue Origin’s website. Third-party provider NASASpaceflight is also live streaming the launch, which you can watch below.

Blue Origin, founded by the world’s second-richest man, Jeff Bezos, first announced its $2.5 billion New Glenn rocket nearly 10 years ago. The 320-foot-tall (98-meter) rocket is designed to lift 45 tons to low Earth orbit and 13 tons to geostationary orbit.

New Glenn is partially reusable, with its first stage designed to last for 25 missions and powered by seven BE-4 methane engines. In comparison, SpaceX Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable missile, capable of carrying 63 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 26 metric tons to geostationary orbit. Both Falcon Heavy’s side boosters and New Glenn’s first stage are designed to return to Earth for controlled landings on floating platforms at sea.

For its first mission, the heavy launch vehicle will carry Blue Origin’s The Pathfinder blue ringan orbital platform that has been called a “space truck”. Blue Ring’s first flight will test its ground systems and operational capabilities as part of the DarkSky-1 (DS-1) mission, which is sponsored by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, Origin Blue.

“We are excited to demonstrate Blue Ring’s advanced space operations on the inaugural New Glenn mission,” Paul Ebertz, senior vice president of Blue Origin’s In-Space Systems, said in a statement. “Blue Ring plays a critical role in building a pathway to space, and this mission is an important first step for Blue Ring and enables dynamic and responsive operations that will greatly benefit our nation.”

Built-in Blue Ring Pathfinder. Jacklyn was fine. Launch license received. Here we go! https://t.co/CCOY8GEks8 pic.twitter.com/hjAL8Dmu3q

– Dave Limp (@davill) January 7, 2025

The main objective of New Glenn’s primary flight is to reach orbit on its first attempt. Blue Origin will also try to land its booster offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, but the name of the booster, “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance”, suggests that the company is hopeful, but perhaps not fully expecting its first attempt to be a success. . This is also the first certification flight of New Glenn’s National Security Space Launch, which could pave the way for the rocket to carry national security payloads on future missions.

The debut of Bezos’ big rocket could fuel his rivalry with his billionaire nemesis, SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Blue Origin’s current rocket, New Shepard, is primarily used to launch space tourists on suborbital flights to the edge of space. New Glenn, on the other hand, officially puts Blue Origin on the map when it comes to the orbital cargo business.

SpaceX has had a very significant start, making it the industry favorite. Whether or not Blue Origin can make it back remains to be seen, but there’s a lot riding on New Glenn’s first time skyward.