Located on pad 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the 321-foot-tall rocket is set for liftoff at 1 a.m. EST on Sunday, weather permitting, within a three-hour window. Similar to SpaceX’s Falcon rockets, the New Glenn’s first stage, powered by seven methane-burning BE-4 engines producing a total of 3.8 million pounds of thrust, is designed to be reusable. After propelling the rocket’s upper stage out of the lower atmosphere approximately three minutes and 10 seconds after launch, the 188-foot-tall first stage will detach and aim to land on a 380-foot-long custom vessel named after Bezos’ mother, Jacklyn, positioned downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.
Challenging sea conditions led Blue Origin to postpone the flight initially, but improved weather on Saturday prompted mission managers to proceed with plans for an early Sunday launch. The entire journey from launch to touchdown is expected to take nine minutes and 28 seconds. Unlike SpaceX, which tested its Falcon 9 landing system through ocean splashdowns before attempting an actual landing, Blue Origin is conducting the landing on the rocket’s inaugural flight. The booster has been humorously named “So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance.”
While the first stage, measuring 23 feet wide, runs on liquified natural gas, the upper stage, standing at 88 feet tall, features two hydrogen-burning BE-3U engines with a combined thrust of 320,000 pounds. These engines can be reignited up to three times in space, allowing the stage to place payloads into complex orbits. The New Glenn’s carbon-composite nose fairing, which shields payloads during ascent, offers a volume of 16,184 cubic feet, sufficient to accommodate a complete New Shepard rocket, used by Blue Origin for sub-orbital space tourism.
On its debut flight, the New Glenn carried a Blue Origin-designed spacecraft named Blue Ring, serving as a space tug capable of hosting or deploying multiple satellites in various orbits while offering onboard computer support and servicing. The mission plan involved sending the upper stage and attached Blue Ring test vehicle into an elliptical orbit reaching around 12,000 miles at its highest point and about 1,500 miles at its lowest. The entire mission was anticipated to last five hours and 50 minutes.
Blue Ring boasts roll-out solar arrays spanning 144 feet, 13 ports for hosted and deployable payloads, and the capacity to carry satellites or payloads weighing up to 2.5 tons on its upper deck. While no payloads were onboard for the initial “pathfinder” flight, the spacecraft was thoroughly evaluated in orbit.
SpaceX, which commenced Falcon 9 launches in 2010, dominates the global commercial launch sector, launching 134 Falcon-family rockets last year and five to date in 2025. SpaceX has successfully retrieved first stage boosters 395 times. Additionally, SpaceX is constructing the Super Heavy-Star
Since 2019, SpaceX has launched a total of 9 flights carrying 7,700 Starlink internet satellites into orbit, with plans for thousands more in the future. This initiative has propelled the company ahead, boasting millions of customers globally and establishing a significant lead over potential competitors in the space-based internet services market. Meanwhile, Amazon is gearing up to introduce its own broadband relay stations under Project Kuiper, with a planned fleet of over 3,232 stations. To achieve this goal, Amazon has secured up to 95 launches with partners such as Blue Origin, Arianespace, United Launch Alliance, and even SpaceX, to deploy the necessary data relay infrastructure into orbit.
Amazon envisions the Kuiper System as a versatile network serving a wide array of users, including households, schools, hospitals, businesses, disaster relief agencies, governmental bodies, and other entities operating in regions lacking reliable broadband connectivity. The company aims to bridge the digital divide and enhance internet access for underserved populations through this ambitious project.
The competition between Amazon’s Project Kuiper and SpaceX’s Starlink remains a focal point in the evolving landscape of space-based internet services. While SpaceX has made significant strides with its Starlink constellation, Amazon’s partnership with Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket introduces a promising alternative for launching satellites and other space missions. Designed with a focus on safety and cost-effectiveness, New Glenn is slated to support a variety of missions, including crewed spaceflights, satellite deployments, lunar cargo shipments, and more.
Sean O’Keefe, a respected figure in the space industry and former NASA Administrator, emphasizes the potential of New Glenn to revolutionize access to space and provide formidable competition to SpaceX. With its human-rated design and versatility in launching a wide range of payloads, New Glenn represents a strategic asset for Amazon’s ambitions in the space sector. The rivalry between SpaceX and Amazon in the realm of space-based services underscores the dynamic nature of the space industry and the pivotal role of innovation and competition in driving progress.
In other news, California authorities have provided updates on wildfires in the Los Angeles area, announcing school closures as part of ongoing efforts to manage the situation. Additionally, Hyundai has unveiled a new electric SUV amid market uncertainties, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainable mobility solutions. False evacuation alerts in Los Angeles have also been reported, underscoring the challenges faced in emergency response systems and the importance of accurate communication during crisis situations.
