Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is set to launch its new heavy-lift rocket, New Glenn, for the first time on October 13th. The inaugural launch will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars, which aims to study the interaction between the solar wind and the planet’s magnetic environment. This event marks a significant milestone for Blue Origin, positioning them as a competitor to SpaceX in the space launch market.
Blue Origin has shared a video showcasing the deployment of its New Glenn rocket’s landing legs, a crucial element for the rocket’s reusability and cost reduction. This comes ahead of the rocket’s first test flight later this year. The New Glenn, a two-stage rocket significantly larger than Blue Origin’s New Shepard, will be used for various missions including deploying Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet satellites and launching commercial payloads. Despite delays, its debut launch is scheduled for no earlier than September 29, 2024.
