Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifts off on first space flight

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Shea Taylor (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully blasted off into orbit Thursday morning, Jan. 16. The company’s first rocket, powerful enough to launch satellites into space, took off just after 2 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

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All seven of its engines fired successfully.

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Blue Origin marked the mission a success after demonstration technology on board the Blue Ring Pathfinder was safely carried to orbit.

However, the company did not reach its bonus goal of guiding part of the New Glenn rocket back to a safe landing on a platform in the middle of the ocean after takeoff.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA JANUARY 16: The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lits off at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station prior to its scheduled 1 a.m. January 16 launch on January 16, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The inaugural NG-1 mission, a long-delayed uncrewed test mission that would help pave the way for the Jeff Bezos-founded space company to compete against Elon Musk's SpaceX, was previously scrubbed on January 13. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodríguez Carrillo/Getty Images) — Getty Images

It took rival SpaceX four tries to get a similar maneuver right.

Still, Blue Origin stressed its most important goal was for the test satellite to reach orbit. NASA intends to use the New Glenn rocket to launch two orbiters to Mars in the future.

Tags: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, Space Technology, SpaceX, U.S. Space Force

[craig nigrelli]

FINALLY THIS MORNING — A BIG WIN FOR BILLIONAIRE JEFF BEZEOS‘ SPACE COMPANY BLUE ORIGIN AS ITS NEW GLENN ROCKET WENT BLASTING OFF INTO ORBIT.

“3… 2… 1. Liftoff”

*rockets sounds and cheers*

THE COMPANY’S FIRST ROCKET, POWERFUL ENOUGH TO LAUNCH SATELLITES TO SPACE, TOOK OFF AFTER JUST AFTER 2 A-M EASTERN TIME FROM the CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION IN FLORIDA. ALL SEVEN OF ITS ENGINES FIRED SUCCESSFULLY.

BLUE ORIGIN IS MARKING THE MISSION A SUCCESS AFTER DEMONSTRATION TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD THE ROCKET — CALLED THE BLUE RING PATHFINDER — WAS SAFELY CARRIED TO ORBIT.

HOWEVER, THE COMPANY DID **NOT** REACH ITS BONUS GOAL OF GUIDING PART OF THE NEW GLENN ROCKET BACK TO A SAFE LANDING ON A PLATFORM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN AFTER TAKEOFF.

It took BLUE ORIGIN RIVAL SPACE-X TOOK FOUR TRIES TO GET A SIMILAR MANEUVER RIGHT.

However — Blue Origin stressed its most important goal was for the test satellite to reach orbit

NASA INTENDS TO USE THE NEW GLENN ROCKET TO LAUNCH TWO ORBITERS TO MARS IN THE FUTURE.