Blue Origin, the space company founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its first orbital rocket next week, marking a significant development in the commercial space race currently led by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The rocket, named New Glenn, is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida around 1:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) on January 8, with a backup window on January 10, as per a Federal Aviation Administration advisory.
Though Blue Origin has not officially confirmed the launch date, anticipation has been building after a successful “hotfire” test on December 27.
“Next stop launch,” Bezos declared on X, sharing a video of the rocket's engines roaring to life.
The NG-1 mission will carry a prototype of Blue Ring, a Defense Department-funded spacecraft designed as a versatile satellite deployment platform. This spacecraft will remain on the rocket's second stage for the duration of the six-hour test flight.
This launch will mark Blue Origin's much-anticipated entrance into the lucrative orbital launch market, following years of suborbital flights using its smaller New Shepard rocket, which conducts brief trips to the edge of space with passengers and payloads.
Dwarfs Spacex's Falcon 9
The New Glenn rocket is far from ordinary. Standing over 320 feet tall, it dwarfs the SpaceX's 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, featuring a 23-foot diameter payload fairing designed to handle massive payloads — twice the volume of typical commercial rockets in its class.
Its propulsion system utilises seven BE-4 engines powered by liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas, an efficient design that also powers United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket’s first stage.
Reusability lies at the heart of New Glenn’s design. The rocket’s first stage is built to withstand at least 25 flights, aiming to lower launch costs and improve reliability, with landings planned on a sea-based recovery vessel named “Jacklyn” in honor of Bezos’ mother.
This milestone is also expected to escalate the rivalry between Bezos, the world’s second-richest person, and Musk, the wealthiest, whose SpaceX has established dominance and is closely tied to President-elect Donald Trump.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets have become integral in the industry, serving clients ranging from commercial satellite operators to NASA, which relies on them for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Similar to Falcon 9, New Glenn features a reusable first stage designed to land vertically on a ship at sea. The recovery vessel, humorously named "So You're Telling Me There's a Chance," reflects the challenge of landing a reusable rocket on the first try, according to Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp.
“If I were still a senior executive at NASA, I’d be thrilled to finally have some competition to the Falcon 9,” said G Scott Hubbard, former NASA "Mars Czar" now at Stanford University told AFP, adding that increased competition could drive down launch costs.
Currently, SpaceX maintains a strong lead, securing the majority of the market, while competitors like United Launch Alliance, Arianespace, and Rocket Lab trail far behind.
Musk vs Bezos
Both Musk and Bezos share a deep passion for space, though their visions differ. While Musk dreams of colonizing Mars, Bezos envisions populating the solar system with massive floating space colonies.
Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000, two years before Musk launched SpaceX, but Blue Origin has advanced at a slower pace, taking a more cautious approach.
If successful, New Glenn will provide the US government with alternative systems that can act as backups in case of failures — something especially important as SpaceX plans to retire Falcon 9 by the end of the decade in favour of Starship, a prototype that depends on unproven technologies.
Musk’s close relationship with Trump has raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest, especially with private astronaut Jared Isaacman, a Musk associate, poised to become NASA’s next administrator.
Bezos, however, has also made overtures to the president-elect, visiting his Mar-a-Lago residence and offering a $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration committee.