Watch Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Launch Its New Rocket Into Orbit: 'this Is Our First Flight'

Jeff Bezos' 24-year-old abstraction exertion institution Blue Origin sent its first rocket into orbit connected Thursday greeting disconnected of Florida's Space Coast.

The 320-foot-tall rocket was named New Glenn aft John Glenn, nan first American to orbit Earth. It was taller than nan Statue of Liberty and powered by 7 engines. According to nan New York Times, New Glenn took disconnected astatine 2:03 a.m. from Cape Canaveral successful Florida and reached orbit astir 13 minutes later.

The statement was a first for Blue Origin. The institution deemed it a awesome success, penning successful a position connected X connected Thursday that it was "thrilled pinch today's outcome." Though delays owed to strategy issues pushed nan statement clip from Monday to Thursday, nan eventual motorboat positioned Blue Origin to amended compete pinch Elon Musk's SpaceX, which launched 134 times successful 2024.

Related: SpaceX Launches Its Riskiest Mission Yet pinch a Billionaire connected Board

Blue Origin stated successful a position connected X that nan intent of nan statement was to scope orbit.

"This is our first statement and we've prepared rigorously for it," nan institution wrote, adding that point beyond reaching orbit was "icing connected nan cake."

To reiterate our objectives—this is our first flight, and we've prepared rigorously for it. But nary magnitude of crushed testing aliases ngo simulations is simply a replacement for flying this rocket. Our cardinal nonsubjective coming is to scope orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing connected the… pic.twitter.com/LSt0GoZXkj

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 16, 2025

Bezos posted aggregate videos connected X of nan launch.

pic.twitter.com/o6sMiSABkR

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 16, 2025

pic.twitter.com/kIEqPxxwa7

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 16, 2025

Blue Origin had a agelong extremity to onshore nan rocket's reusable first-stage booster connected a barge successful nan Atlantic Ocean but was incapable to scope that nonsubjective aft nan booster was mislaid during reentry.

"We mislaid nan booster during descent," Blue Origin stated successful different X post. We knew landing nan first style connected nan first effort was ambitious. We'll learn, refine, and usage that knowledge to our adjacent motorboat successful nan spring."

Blue Origin hopes to do much launches this year. New Glenn is reusable and nan engines and propellants supporting its first statement style are designed for astatine slightest 25 flights, according to Blue Origin's website.

Related: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Aims to Build Massive Commercial Space Station