Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is ready for launch. The space company owned by Jeff Bezos says its $2.5 billion reusable rocket, which has been in development for nearly 13 years, will make its first appearance by Monday, January 13 at the latest, after some delays caused by weather over the weekend. announced that it is aiming to launch. – The time launch window begins at 1 a.m. ET. The webcast will begin one hour before launch, and you can watch New Glenn’s flight on Blue Origin’s website, X, or the company’s YouTube channel.
New Glenn’s first mission (NG-1) will be the first Space Force National Security Certification flight, needed to compete with the likes of SpaceX for contracts with the Department of Defense and national intelligence agencies. The reusable first stage is designed for at least 25 flights. Blue Origin produces several New Glenn vehicles.
Blue Ring Pathfinder (Blue Origin)
Blue Origin describes New Glenn as “a giant reusable rocket built for bigger things.” “Giant” is the right word. The rocket is over 98 meters (320 feet) high. As for that “bigger thing,” it’s both figurative (like a possible mission to Mars) and literal. It can carry more than 45 tons into low earth orbit (LEO) and more than 13 tons into geostationary orbit (GTO). By comparison, rival SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy can lift about 64 tons to LEO and about 27 tons to GTO orbit.
On its maiden voyage, New Glenn will carry a prototype of the company’s multipurpose Blue Ring Pathfinder. The spacecraft is designed to transport, refuel and host satellites and other spacecraft and can carry three tons of cargo into space. Friday’s launch will test Blue Ring’s core flight/ground systems and operational capabilities.
blue origin
After New Glenn lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, its reusable first stage will land on the barge Jaclyn, floating hundreds of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.
New Glenn, named after pioneering astronaut John Glenn, completed its first launch countdown dress rehearsal on December 27th. After several countdown attempts over several hours, the rocket’s seven BE-4 engines ignited and burned for 24 seconds (spending 13 seconds at 100 percent thrust) on the way to Friday’s targeted liftoff. I cut it open. The rocket’s first flight was originally scheduled for October, carrying two Mars-bound NASA satellites, but the launch was canceled because it would not be ready by then.
