Blue Origin launched its New Glenn orbital launch vehicle on November 13 from Cape Canaveral. The rocket's seven BE-4 engines, powerful methane-fueled motors, ignited successfully.
This was the second mission for New Glenn, which placed NASA's twin spacecraft Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, or ESCAPADE, into a temporary orbit. The spacecraft will head to Mars in fall 2026 to examine how solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun, interacts with the planet's magnetic field and causes atmospheric loss. The mission also tested Viasat's HaloNet, a data relay system for NASA's communications project, on the rocket's second stage.
The fully reusable first stage, the bottom part of the rocket that provides initial thrust, landed safely on the a platform in the Atlantic Ocean. This reuse helps lower costs for future flights. “We achieved full mission success today,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. “[N]ever before in history has a booster this large nailed the landing on the second try."
NASA's acting administrator praised the launch for providing data useful for future Artemis missions to the Moon and potential Mars exploration under national plans.
Advancing space capabilities
New Glenn supports various goals, including building human presence on the Moon, using space resources, and providing transport through Blue Ring, a spacecraft for multiple orbits. The rocket has orders for years ahead from customers like Amazon's Project Kuiper for satellite internet, AST SpaceMobile for cellular networks, and telecommunications firms. This flight was the second toward certifying New Glenn for the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch program, which ensures rockets meet defense needs.
Blue Origin focuses on increasing launch frequency and manufacturing more vehicles. The company sees this as starting a new phase in reusable rocketry, aiding science, commerce, and security in space. Overall, the mission shows reliable performance and sets the stage for regular operations.