Above: New Glenn launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for its first test flight on Jan. 16, 2025. Credit: Blue Origin

Last month, Blue Origin proved its readiness as a commercial spaceflight provider after successfully launching its New Glenn rocket into orbit on Jan. 16. New Glenn’s upper stage reached orbit as planned 12 minutes after launch, but the rocket’s reusable first stage was lost. The mission intended to land the first stage on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean—a challenging first attempt that was not anticipated to be successful. Ariane Cornell, VP of in-space systems at Blue Origin said, “we got close.”

New Glenn’s maiden flight came after years of delay and development for the 320-foot-tall rocket, which could prove a worthy contender to SpaceX’s tried and true Falcon 9. Blue Origin is now a leap closer to being certified as a launch provider for U.S.military and intelligence spacecraft.

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