Blue Origin, the spaceflight company set up by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is about to perform the first launch of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.
The two-stage rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, with the company targeting Friday, January 10, for launch. Read on for full details on how to watch a live stream of Blue Origin’s NG-1 mission.
More than a decade in development, the inaugural flight of the 98-meter-tall New Glenn rocket will aim to deploy the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload, which will test key technologies for the upcoming Blue Ring spacecraft. The payload includes a communications array, power system, and flight computer, which will be evaluated during a six-hour mission while attached to the rocket’s second stage.
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An attempt will also be made to bring home the rocket’s first stage in a similar way to how SpaceX returns the first-stage of its Falcon 9 rocket. This will allow Blue Origin to reuse the booster for multiple missions, saving on launch costs.
The New Glenn creates about 3.9 million pounds of thrust at launch — more than double that of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket but less than SpaceX’s heavy-lift Falcon Heavy.
Blue Origin has been launching its sub-orbital, single-stage New Shepard rocket for several years, but the New Glenn is a major step up and gives the company a chance to join a select group of spaceflight companies capable of heavy-lift orbital launches.
How to watch
Blue Origin is targeting Friday, January 10, for the debut launch of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket.
A three-hour launch window opens at 1 a.m. ET (take note — that’s 10 p.m. PT on Thursday night).
A live stream will begin about an hour before the planned launch, and you can watch it on Blue Origin’s website.
Coverage will include the New Glenn rocket blasting off the launchpad and making its way to orbit. And stick around, as there could also be cameras on the droneship waiting in the Atlantic for the return of the first-stage booster. SpaceX’s first-stage booster usually takes around eight minutes to return to Earth, so expect similar timings for Blue Origin’s booster to come home.
As with any rocket launch, the schedule could change if there are any weather concerns or technical issues. We’ll be sure to update here with the latest information, or you can check Blue Origin’s social media feed.