Blue Origin, a space company owned by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is preparing for the first launch of its reusable rocket named New Glenn on 10 January. This rocket aims to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, a popular choice for launching large payloads into space.
What is New Glenn?
New Glenn is an impressive 98-meter-tall rocket, almost the height of a 30-story building. It is designed to carry payloads weighing up to 45 tonnes into low Earth orbit. This puts it in competition with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which can handle around 64 tonnes of cargo.
The rocket consists of two stages. The first stage is meant to land on a sea platform, just like Falcon Heavy, with Blue Origin claiming it can be reused for up to 25 missions. The upper stage of the rocket is disposable and is used to store cargo and mission payloads.
When is the launch scheduled?
New Glenn is authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to launch on 10 January from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida during a three-hour window starting at 1 am local time (6 am GMT). The previous launch window on 6 January was postponed to this new date. Blue Origin mentioned, “This is our first flight and we’ve prepared rigorously for it.”
What will the test flight involve?
The primary goal of the test flight, known as NG-1, is for the rocket to reach orbit. Additionally, the second stage will carry Blue Origin’s Blue Ring Pathfinder, a set of communication devices and power systems for future space missions. Blue Origin plans to learn and improve from this test flight, similar to SpaceX’s approach.
Blue Origin hopes that New Glenn will eventually launch satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper and contribute to a space station it is developing. In the past, Blue Origin has focused on space tourism with its New Shepard rocket, which has successfully launched Jeff Bezos and other passengers to high altitudes.
Other Rockets Launched by Blue Origin
Blue Origin has previously focused on space tourism with its New Shepard rocket, which in 2021 launched its founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers to an altitude of 107 kilometres. It has since launched a further eight crews to a similar altitude, with the most recent launch in November 2024.
Topics:
Vocabulary List:
- Payload /ˈpeɪ.loʊd/ (noun): The cargo carried by a rocket or spacecraft.
- Reusable /ˌriːˈjuː.zə.bəl/ (adjective): Capable of being used again especially after being refurbished.
- Authorize /ˈɔː.θə.raɪz/ (verb): To give official permission for something to happen.
- Mission /ˈmɪʃ.ən/ (noun): An important goal or purpose that is accompanied by a course of action.
- Platform /ˈplæt.fɔːrm/ (noun): A raised structure or surface where a rocket can be launched or recovered.
- Test /tɛst/ (verb): To assess the performance or reliability of something through experimentation.
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