Blue Origin, a company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has made the first test launch of its New Glenn rocket, named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth.
The rocket was successfully launched from the site in Florida. The first stage engines worked perfectly, providing the power needed to put the rocket on the desired trajectory. The stage separation also went as planned, allowing the second stage to continue its flight.
However, an attempt to land the first stage on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean failed. Preliminary data indicate that the problem arose during the ignition of the engines as the stage entered the atmosphere.
The mission is important for the company's efforts to carve out a niche in the space services market, which is currently dominated by Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Bezos' company took a different approach than its main competitor. Before the launch, SpaceX conducted a series of tests (and not immediately successful) with prototypes of the first stage, the so-called Grasshopper.
Blue Origin, on the other hand, immediately installed the engines on the rocket and attempted a full launch and landing on the first attempt. This more ambitious approach would have allowed Bezos's company to enter the space services market faster, but as this launch showed, it also carries greater risks.
Bezos, who took part in the launch from the flight control center, said he did not see Blue Origin as a competitor to Elon Musk's SpaceX. Most of the time, he stood near his seat, looking excited and happy at the same time.
“Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! ” Musk wrote on X.
The broadcast of the New Glenn launch can be viewed on the official Blue Origin website, as well as on its account on the X platform and on YouTube.
About New Glenn rocket
The New Glenn is a 320-foot (98-meter) rocket first announced by Blue Origin in 2016. Although originally scheduled for launch in 2020, the project has experienced significant delays due to engine development issues and other technical difficulties.
The rocket features a reusable first stage powered by BE-4 engines that run on liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen. After launch, the first stage separates and automatically lands on a sea platform, allowing the company to reuse it for future missions.
After separation, the first stage transfers the work to the upper stage, equipped with BE-3U engines that run on liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The upper stage is capable of launching up to 45 metric tons of cargo into low Earth orbit.
Read more: Minutes before start, the first launch of Bezos' New Glenn rocket gets cancelled.
