After almost a decade in development the maiden flight of New Glenn, NG-1, was a success.
However, the icing on the cake was not to be. Blue Origin’s attempt to land the first stage on a fixed platform (called Jacklyn) in the Atlantic Ocean failed. Putting it simply, Blue Origin said that it had “lost the booster during descent” in an official statement. The company’s spirits were undampened though, as it insisted that the primary goal for NG-1 was for the rocket to achieve orbit – which, of course, it did. Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, admitted that landing, and recovering, the booster was “an ambitious goal”.
New Glenn at liftoff during the NG-1 mission on 16 January 2025. Courtesy: Blue Origin
The launch vehicle lifted off at 0703 GMT from Cape Canaveral, Florida in the US on 16 January. It carried Darksky-1 Blue Ring Pathfinder, a fixed test payload on its upper stage. The first stage was powered by seven BE-4 engines.
Update on 13 February: Blue Origin is targeting a second launch of New Glenn in late spring. While at a conference in Washington DC the CEO of Blue Origin, Dave Limp, shed some more light on the issues that hindered the booster. A propulsion issue was involved, Limp suggested, though he did not disclose further details, citing the ongoing investigation, according to SpaceNews. He expressed confidence that the problem will be resolved in time for a late spring launch, with the production of a second booster already underway.
Comment by David Todd: This maiden flight success was a real achievement. Even SpaceX competitor Elon Musk congratulated Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, on the accomplishment. Yours truly heartily concurs.
