Achieving space docking capability is in line with the country’s planned manned mission to the Moon
The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station prior to its scheduled launch on January 16, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo, Getty Images via AFP
CAPE CANAVERAL, United States (AFP) -— Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time early Thursday, a livestream of the blastoff showed.
The rocket, whose inaugural mission had been delayed by several years, blasted of at 2:03 a.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in the US state of Florida, the webcast showed.
The mission is seen as critical to Blue Origin’s efforts to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which dominates the commercial space industry.
“LIFTOFF! New Glenn is beginning its first ever ascent toward the stars,” Blue Origin said on social media platform X.
“New Glenn has passed the Karman line, the internationally recognized boundary of space!” the firm posted just a few minutes later.
And then: “Second stage engine cutoff confirmed. New Glenn’s second stage and payload are now in orbit.”
An initial test launch of the towering 98-meter rocket, dubbed New Glenn in honor of legendary American astronaut John Glenn, had been scrubbed early Monday morning after repeated halts during the countdown.
The company later said it had discovered an icing issue on a purge line and would aim for a possible early Tuesday morning launch, but that weather conditions were unfavorable.
On Monday night, Blue Origin announced that launch had been postponed.
Space docking
Meanwhile, India docked two satellites in space Thursday, a key milestone for the country’s dreams of a space station and manned Moon mission, its space agency said.
