Blue Origin targets January 10 for New Glenn rocket launch

Blue Origin, the aerospace company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its New Glenn rocket on January 10. The inaugural mission (NG-1) will take off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking a significant milestone as the company's first National Security Space Launch certification flight.

The mission will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload, designed to test key systems for the Defense Innovation Unit’s Orbital Logistics program. The primary objective of the mission is to achieve a safe orbital launch, with an ambitious attempt to land the booster in the Atlantic Ocean — the company's first offshore recovery effort.

“This is our first flight, and we’ve prepared rigorously for it,” said Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President of New Glenn. “No amount of ground testing or simulations can replace an actual flight. It’s time to fly. Whatever the outcome, we’ll learn and improve for future launches.”

New Glenn, standing 98 meters tall, is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built by Blue Origin. Named after John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit Earth, the rocket has undergone extensive preparations, including a successful hot-fire test in December at the Cape Canaveral launchpad. This test marked the first trial of the integrated launch vehicle.

Following the test, the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload was integrated into the rocket, and the company received its commercial space launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “Blue Ring Pathfinder integrated. Launch license received. Here we go!” wrote Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp on social media.

New Glenn's debut launch has faced multiple delays since its original target in 2020, largely due to setbacks in the development of the BE-4 engine. However, with final preparations now complete, Blue Origin is ready to demonstrate the capabilities of this groundbreaking rocket.