FLORIDA - UNITED STATES: Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket successfully launched into space early Thursday, January 16, marking a significant milestone for Jeff Bezos’ aerospace venture. This inaugural flight into Earth’s orbit sets the stage for Blue Origin to compete directly with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the competitive satellite launch industry.

The towering 98-meter heavy-lift rocket took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:03 a.m. local time, five years later than originally planned. The countdown faced a brief delay after a "wayward boat" entered the launch range. Despite this minor hiccup, the rocket soared into orbit just 13 minutes after liftoff, to loud cheers from Blue Origin’s mission control team.

The New Glenn rocket, named in honor of astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, is designed with a reusable first stage powered by liquid oxygen and methane. On its second attempt this week, the rocket launched under cloudy skies, as the first attempt earlier on Monday had been canceled due to ice buildup on a propellant line.

Hundreds of Blue Origin employees gathered at their Kent, Washington headquarters and Cape Canaveral factory to witness the historic moment. Local spectators on Florida’s east coast also celebrated the launch, watching from parks and campsites near the area.

The mission is the culmination of a decade of development and billions of dollars in investment. A key highlight of the mission includes an ambitious effort to land the rocket’s first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 10 minutes after liftoff, while the second stage proceeds to orbit.

The New Glenn rocket is expected to play a crucial role in satellite launches for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a broadband internet constellation designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Additionally, Blue Origin envisions the rocket supporting future missions for NASA and other U.S. government projects.

Secured within the rocket’s payload bay was the prototype of Blue Origin’s Blue Ring spacecraft, which is intended for satellite servicing and national security missions. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, the mission also tested the spacecraft’s core systems and operational capabilities.

With several New Glenn rockets already in production, Blue Origin is preparing for multiple future missions. Alongside NASA, the company’s clients include AST SpaceMobile, various telecommunications providers, and U.S. government organizations. The success of this launch marks an important step forward for Blue Origin as it strives to challenge SpaceX’s dominance in the global launch market, which accounted for over half of all orbital launches in 2024.