The new Glenn on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida
Origin Blue
Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, will launch its own reusable The new Glenn rocket for the first time on January 10. If successful, the rocket could become a rival to SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocketwhich has become the launch vehicle for companies looking to put large payloads into orbit.
What is New Glenn?
New Glenn is a 98-meter-tall rocket, about the height of a 30-story building, designed to deliver payloads of up to 45 tons into low Earth orbit. It is expected to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which can carry a payload of around 64 tonnes.
The rocket has two stages. The first stage is designed to land on a sea platform, similar to the Falcon Heavy, and Blue Origin says it will be reusable for 25 missions. At the top of the rocket is a removable and ejectable upper stage where payloads and mission payloads can be stored.
When will the launch take place?
New Glenn has been cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to launch in a three-hour window on January 10 at 01:00 (06:00 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The FAA already approved a January 6th launch window, but the January 10th window is also the first Blue Origin has confirmed. “This is our first flight and we’ve prepared meticulously for it,” said Jarrett Jones of Blue Origin. in a statement.
Blue Origin first aimed to launch New Glenn in 2020 after announcing the rocket’s development in 2016, but delays and setbacks have delayed the initial launch.
What will the test flight entail?
The main purpose of the test flight, called NG-1, is to get the rocket into orbit, but the second stage will also carry Blue Origin’s Blue Ring Pathfinder, a collection of communications devices, power systems and a flight computer for the Blue Ring. spacecraft that will help guide and maneuver future payloads into orbit.
Blue Origin aims to emulate the success of SpaceX’s rapid testing and development schedule, which means launching as often as possible, even if some tests end in fiery explosions. “No matter what happens, we will learn, refine and apply that knowledge to our next job,” Jones said.
Eventually, Blue Origin hopes to launch New Glenn satellites as part of Amazon’s Kuiper project, similar to a satellite internet constellation. SpaceX’s Starlinkas well as delivery of the parts space station That Blue Origin is developing.
What other rockets has Blue Origin launched?
Blue Origin has been focused before space tourism with its New Shepard rocket, which launched its founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers to a height of 107 kilometers in 2021. Since then, eight more crews have launched to similar heights, with the most recent launch taking place in November 2024.
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