Jeff Bezos’ space venture, Blue Origin, just fired up the engines on its next-gen New Glenn rocket in a crucial test—and it’s one giant leap toward liftoff later this year! The company announced Monday that the rocket’s 26.8-meter-tall second stage aced a 15-second hotfire test, simulating launch conditions while validating its systems and teamwork between engineers and hardware.
This wasn’t just about flames and thunder (though that’s ). The test also let crews rehearse countdown procedures ahead of New Glenn’s debut flight, currently targeting November 2024. If all goes to plan, the rocket will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars—marking Blue Origin’s first interplanetary delivery!
Fun fact: The second stage’s 7-meter diameter is wider than a SpaceX Starship section. Designed for high-energy missions, New Glenn could soon shuttle satellites to low Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit, and beyond. Space race, anyone?
The company announced Monday that the rocket’s 26.8-meter-tall second stage aced a 15-second hotfire test, simulating launch conditions while validating its systems and teamwork between engineers and hardware.
). The test also let crews rehearse countdown procedures ahead of New Glenn’s debut flight, currently targeting November 2024. If all goes to plan, the rocket will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars—marking Blue Origin’s first interplanetary delivery!
Designed for high-energy missions, New Glenn could soon shuttle satellites to low Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit, and beyond. Space race, anyone?
