New Glenn, Blue Origin's new heavy launcher, successfully launched for the first time on January 16. This achievement marks the company's entry into the major league, although it still has a long way to go to compete with industry giants.
Named after American senator and astronaut John Glenn, New Glenn stands at 98 meters tall, offering a payload capacity of 45 tons in low Earth orbit, positioning it between SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. After over 10 years of development, the launch was many years delayed due to technical issues with its BE-4 methalox engines.
The launch was highly anticipated as Blue Origin aims to utilize New Glenn for deploying its Kuiper satellite constellation and other satellites for the U.S. government and private clients. The mission went smoothly, achieving orbit after overcoming several critical milestones, despite the loss of the first stage, which was designed for recovery. Overall, this mission marks a significant success for Blue Origin, showcasing the maturity of New Glenn as it enters a competitive industry.
