On January 8, 2025, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is poised to launch its inaugural orbital rocket, New Glenn, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This launch aims to challenge Elon Musk's SpaceX dominance in the commercial space sector.
The mission, designated NG-1, is scheduled for 6 AM London time (1 AM local time) and may also occur on January 10 if needed. Unlike previous suborbital flights with the New Shepard rocket, this six-hour test flight will carry a spacecraft named Blue Ring, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, intended for satellite deployment.
If successful, Blue Origin could secure lucrative contracts for satellite launches. Analyst Laura Forczyk noted the shift in market focus from suborbital to orbital missions, emphasizing the demand for payload delivery to space.
The New Glenn rocket, designed for at least 25 flights, features 23-foot payload fairings and a capacity of 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit, or 13 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). This capability positions Blue Origin to compete effectively in satellite transportation.
Standing over 320 feet tall, New Glenn is among the largest rockets ever constructed, set to rival SpaceX's 230-foot Falcon 9, which has been integral to NASA and Pentagon missions. Former NASA director G. Scott Hubbard expressed optimism about increased competition potentially lowering launch costs.