Lift off of New Glenn maiden mission. Credits: Blue Origin

Blue Origin Reaches Orbit on First New Glenn Launch

Despite a first stage failure, Blue Origin reached orbit for the first time during the maiden launch of New Glenn, delivering the Blue Ring Pathfinder

Today, Blue Origin wrote history with the debut of its New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle (NG-1). The mission marks a crucial milestone for the American aerospace industry, delivering a new heavy launcher to the US fleet.

As a maiden mission, New Glenn’s flight was a success overall. Although the first stage failed to land as planned, the rest of the mission proceeded as scheduled, marking a historic achievement for Blue Origin. Twenty-five years after its founding, Jeff Bezos’ company reached Earth orbit for the first time, scoring a significant milestone in its long history of technological advancement.


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The flight

Blue Origin made several attempts over the past week to inaugurate its new rocket. A series of minor issues and weather-related problems repeatedly delayed the event.

But on January 16, at 07.03 UTC, the seven BE-4 engines of the booster finally ignited and slowly pushed New Glenn away from the Launch Complex 36 pad at Cape Canaveral.

Three minutes into the flight, MECO occurred successfully, followed a few seconds later by the separation of the first stage, which was unfortunately lost during reentry, probably during the reentry burn. Blue Origin has not yet shared additional information on this matter.

The second stage continued nominally, with both BE-3U engines igniting as planned. After two successful burns, the stage, carrying the Blue Ring Pathfinder, entered its target orbit, completing the mission. Later the company confirmed successfully establishing radio contact and data transmission with Blue Ring.

Lift off of New Glenn maiden mission. Credits: Blue Origin
Liftoff of New Glenn maiden mission from LC-36. Credits: Blue Origin

Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin commented: “I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt. We knew landing our booster, So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance, on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring.”


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A long-awaited vehicle

Although the booster recovery was unsuccessful today, it will remain one of the company’s primary goals for future launches. It’s worth noting that several years have passed between the first flight of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and its first successful booster landing in 2016.

Blue Origin initially unveiled the concept for New Glenn in 2015, aiming for a first launch in 2020. However, development challenges delayed its debut. The heavy-lift rocket has significantly benefited from the extensive work done since 2006 on the New Shepard suborbital vehicle, particularly in booster landing technology and the BE-3U engines used on the second stage.

New Glenn is equipped with key features that could potentially enable it to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy vehicles. Blue Origin aims to reuse the first stage up to 25 times.

Blue Ring Pathfinder inside New Glenn's fairings. Credits: Blue Origin
Blue Ring Pathfinder inside New Glenn’s fairings. Credits: Blue Origin

Additionally, its seven-meter fairings are the largest on the market, offering clients a massive payload volume that supports a wide range of missions—from satellite constellations to launches toward the Moon, as well as the delivery of Department of Defense payloads and scientific missions for NASA.

Notably, the twin ESCAPADE Mars probes were initially selected as the payload for NG-1 but were subsequently moved to the next flight. As part of the Artemis program, New Glenn will carry the Blue Moon cargo and crewed landers.

Today’s launch also served as Blue Origin’s first certification flight needed for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 launch services program


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New Glenn

The two-stage launch vehicle stands 98 meters tall and is capable of carrying up to 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 13 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

The first stage (GS1) is powered by seven BE-4 LOX/CH4 staged combustion engines capable of producing 2.450 kN of thrust each. Six deployable landing legs enable the booster to land on a platform at sea. Two BE-3U LOX/LH2 throttleable engines power the second stage (GS2).

The iconic blue flame of seven BE-4 engines lights up the sky above Cape Canaveral. credits: Blue Origin
The iconic blue flame of seven BE-4 engines lights up the sky above Cape Canaveral. Credits: Blue Origin

Following New Shepard’s example, New Glenn was named after an important figure in the history of American space exploration, John Herschel Glenn, who was the third US astronaut in space and the first to orbit Earth during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.


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Francesco Sebastiano Moro

Francesco Sebastiano Moro

Aerospace engineering student at University of Padua, passionate of space and aerospace sector.

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