Jeff Bezos’ space venture, Blue Origin, checked off a big goal on Thursday as its “New Glenn” rocket successfully launched on its first test flight.
The launch, which took place early Thursday morning from Space Launch Complex 36 at Kennedy Space Center, came just one day after another attempt was cancelled by Blue Origin due to technical issues. However, when the countdown resumed, the “New Glenn” rocket soared into the sky.
“New Glenn safely reached its intended orbit during today’s NG-1 mission, accomplishing our primary objective. The second stage is in its final orbit following two successful burns of the BE-3U engines. The Blue Ring Pathfinder is receiving data and performing well,” Blue origin posted to X after the flight.
The New Glenn rocket, named after famed astronaut John Glenn, is seen as a key player in the rivalry between Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the current dominant force in private space exploration. On the tail of this successful launch, Bezos hopes to challenge SpaceX’s present in the private space sector.
While the rocket’s primary goal was simply to reach orbit, Blue Origin had set its sights on a secondary goal as well: landing the booster on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
The ability to land accurately would test the company’s ability to reuse the rocket, a feat that SpaceX has already accomplished with its Falcon 9 boosters. Although Blue Origin acknowledged the somewhat unsuccessful landing, they seemed to remain optimistic about their future endeavors.
“We lost the booster during descent. We knew landing the first stage on the first try was ambitious. We’ll learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch in the spring. We’re thrilled with today’s outcome ,” the company added.
The Blue Origin program’s are producing multiple vehicles and has multiple orders over the past few years. Clients include NASA, Amazon, AST SpaceMobile, and various telecom providers, according to the company’s website. Blue Origin is also certifying New Glenn with the U.S. Space Force for the National Security Space Launch program to support national security needs.
Despite the friendly competition, the relationship between Bezos and Musk is often viewed as one of rivalry. While SpaceX has made considerable strides recently, Blue Origin’s first test flight offers a glimpse into what could become a fierce space race in the years to come.
“Today marks a new era for Blue Origin and for commercial space,” Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President, said after the launch.