Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket lifts off from Florida on debut mission in first step to rival Elon Musk's SpaceX
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Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin took a major step into the satellite launch market this morning with the successful debut of its New Glenn rocket from Florida. The highly anticipated flight marks the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the space industry.
![[The towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/07/94155145-14291057-image-a-25_1737012352789.jpg)
The towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week. The launch, which had been previously scrubbed on Monday due to ice buildup on a propellant line, went smoothly this time despite weather challenges and a brief countdown halt caused by a boat straying into a restricted zone.
![[A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 36 from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 202]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/07/94155153-14291057-image-a-26_1737012422531.jpg)
The New Glenn rocket, powered by a combination of liquid oxygen and methane, aims to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX by offering reliable and cost-effective satellite launches. Blue Origin's mission today was not just about the rocket's journey, but also about testing the company's booster recovery capabilities.
![[A company spokesperson, Ariane Cornell, remarked on the live stream that 'in thrust we trust,' as the company closely monitored the weather conditions before giving the final go-ahead for launch]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/07/94155157-14291057-image-a-27_1737012437042.jpg)
Ten minutes after liftoff, New Glenn's first-stage booster was expected to return to Earth, aiming for a precision landing on a sea-faring barge in the Atlantic Ocean, while the second stage of the rocket continued its journey toward orbit. Unfortunately, the company confirmed that this part of the mission failed, with a Blue Origin spokesperson admitting: 'We lost the booster.'.
![[The highly anticipated flight marks the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX 's dominance in the space industry]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/07/94155047-14291057-image-a-15_1737012282456.jpg)
