2025-01-13 02:30:09| Engadget
Blue Origins New Glenn rocket is ready for liftoff. After some weather-related delays over the weekend, the Jeff Bezos-owned space company said that the $2.5 billion reusable rocket, which has been in development for nearly 13 years, will target its first launch no earlier than Monday, January 13. Its three-hour launch window kicks off at 1AM ET. The webcast will begin an hour before launch, and you can watch New Glenn take flight on Blue Origins website, X or the companys YouTube channel.
New Glenns inaugural mission (NG-1) will serve as its first Space Force national security certification flight, necessary to compete against the likes of SpaceX for Department of Defense and national intelligence contracts. Its reusable first stage is designed for at least 25 flights. Blue Origin has several New Glenn vehicles in production.
The Blue Ring PathfinderBlue Origin
Blue Origin describes New Glenn as our giant, reusable rocket built for bigger things. The giant bit is apt: The rocket stands over 320 ft (98 m) high. As for its bigger things, that includes the metaphorical (like potential missions to Mars) and literal: It can carry over 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 13 to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). By comparison, rival SpaceXs Falcon Heavy can lift nearly 64 metric tons to LEO and almost 27 to GTO orbit.
On its maiden voyage, New Glenn will carry a prototype of the companys multipurpose Blue Ring Pathfinder. The craft is designed to transport, refuel and host satellites and other spacecraft and can carry three metric tons of cargo into space. Fridays launch will test Blue Rings core flight / ground systems and operational capabilities.
Blue Origin
After New Glenn lifts off from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, its reusable first stage will land on a barge, Jacklyn, floating several hundred miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.
New Glenn, named after pioneering astronaut John Glenn, completed its first launch countdown dress rehearsal on December 27. After several countdown attempts over a few hours, the rockets seven BE-4 engines ignited and fired for 24 seconds (spending 13 seconds at 100 percent thrust), paving the way for Fridays targeted launch. The rockets first flight was initially slated for October, carrying two Mars-bound NASA satellites, but the launch was scrapped because it wouldnt be ready by then.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/how-to-watch-blue-origins-inaugural-new-glenn-launch-013009830.html?src=rss
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