Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket faced a setback as it failed to land its main rocket engine, known as the booster, onto a platform in the Atlantic Ocean. This launch, which took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 02:02 local time (07:02 GMT), was eagerly anticipated as the company overcame technical barriers earlier in the week. Ice formation had previously halted a launch, causing delays.
The New Glenn rocket, named after John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit Earth more than six decades ago, is a significant project for Blue Origin. The rocket has previously carried passengers and payloads, notably including Jeff Bezos himself in 2021. Blue Origin employees and spectators gathered near Cape Canaveral cheered as the imposing 98-meter-high rocket ascended into orbit.
In contrast, Elon Musk's SpaceX has significantly outperformed Blue Origin, having launched its rockets 134 times last year alone. SpaceX has also secured billions of dollars in space contracts, highlighting a competitive edge. A successful New Glenn rocket could foster real competition between these two companies and potentially drive down the costs of space operations.
Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin 25 years ago with a vision of "millions of people working and living in space." The New Glenn rocket is a crucial component of his ambitious plans. It is more powerful than SpaceX's most commonly used Falcon 9 rocket and can carry more satellites. Bezos aims to leverage this capability as part of Project Kuiper, an initiative to deploy thousands of low-earth orbit satellites to provide broadband services.
Governments have historically spent billions on building rockets and space missions. However, private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX are now spearheading efforts that once required national resources. Despite the recent setback, Blue Origin hopes to proceed with the seventh test flight of the New Glenn rocket later today.