After 25 years, Blue Origin is ready for a major milestone: launching its first orbital rocket, New Glenn. This massive, 320-foot rocket aims to send satellites into space and is set to take off from Cape Canaveral on Monday. The launch was delayed due to sea weather conditions, pushing it from Sunday to Monday. New Glenn is no ordinary rocket; it's a heavy-lift launch vehicle with more power than SpaceX's Falcon 9. This mission will test if Blue Origin can compete with SpaceX in the commercial launch sector.

The New Glenn rocket will use seven BE-4 engines to lift off. A few minutes into flight, the booster will separate from the upper stage and attempt a landing on a sea platform named Jacklyn. Meanwhile, the upper stage will keep going, aiming to reach speeds of around 17, 500 miles per hour to enter orbit. This test flight won't release a satellite but will carry a demonstration technology called Blue Ring Pathfinder.

Success isn't guaranteed. New Glenn has only tested its engines for 24 seconds. During the launch, anything could go wrong, leading to a mission-ending failure. If that happens, the rocket might be destroyed to prevent harm. Even if the rocket reaches orbit, Blue Origin might struggle to land the booster. While landing is important for cost savings, it's not essential for the mission's success.

If New Glenn succeeds, it could shake up the launch market. Heavy-lift rockets are gaining importance as satellites get bigger. Blue Origin aims to be a reliable launch provider, competing with SpaceX.

Blue Origin's New Glenn: A Giant Leap Toward Space Competition

Actions