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Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Successfully Launches 'New Glenn Rocket' on First Test Flight.

Science and Technology | Dated: 20 Jan 2025

In January 2025, Blue Origin Enterprises, L.P., the American space technology company founded by Amazon's Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos and headquartered in Washington, USA, successfully launched its reusable 'New Glenn (NG) rocket' on its first test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket was named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - The mission, named NG-1, involved a first-stage booster landing in the Atlantic Ocean, while the rocket's second stage continued towards orbit. The 320-foot (98-meter) rocket successfully deployed a prototype satellite into orbit, designed for satellite deployment.
  • - The mission aimed to demonstrate the rocket's capabilities by placing the Blue Ring Pathfinder test satellite into orbit and landing the rocket's booster onto a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket is designed to transport spacecraft and eventually astronauts to orbit and the Moon.
  • - The first-stage booster did not land on a barge in the Atlantic, but the company highlighted that the main mission was successful.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) During the test, the satellite remained inside the second stage while orbiting Earth. The mission was planned to last six hours, with the second stage being placed into a safe orbit after completion to avoid space debris, following NASA's guidelines.
  • (ii) New Glenn is one of several large rockets launched in recent years, joining United Launch Alliance's Vulcan, Europe's updated Ariane 6, and NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), which replaced the Saturn V for lunar missions.
  • (iii) SpaceX's Starship, founded by Elon Musk, is the largest rocket ever built, standing about 400 feet (123 meters) tall.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which private aerospace company recently launched its "New Glenn Rocket" on its first test flight?

Correct Answer: Blue Origin

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Blue Origin Enterprises, L.P

  • CEO : Dave Limp
  • Headquarters : Washington, the United States of America (USA)