Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has achieved a major milestone with the successful static fire test of its New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The test paves the way for its upcoming launch for NASA’s ESCAPADE Mars mission.
The 98-metre-tall New Glenn was ignited on Thursday night at Launch Complex 36, where engineers fired all seven BE-4 engines for a full 40 seconds. The test ran smoothly, producing nearly four million pounds of thrust — the most powerful firing yet for the heavy-lift rocket.
This successful test marks a crucial step in Blue Origin’s goal to establish its launch capability and compete more strongly in the commercial space industry. The company will now review test data for any irregularities before confirming readiness for the mission, which could take place as early as 9 November.
The upcoming launch holds significant importance. It will be only the second flight for the New Glenn, which first launched successfully in January with a test payload mission to orbit. This mission will carry NASA’s dual ESCAPADE spacecraft to Mars — the agency’s first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to study the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with solar winds.
The twin satellites, named Blue and Gold, were built by Rocket Lab and arrived in Florida last month for final preparations.
Blue Origin’s long-term plans include scaling up New Glenn’s launch frequency to between eight and ten missions per year by the end of 2025. The company aims to serve both government and commercial clients, including Amazon’s Kuiper satellite network and AST SpaceMobile.
Thursday’s static fire success not only demonstrates Blue Origin’s growing technical expertise but also strengthens its position as a strong contender for future NASA and defence contracts.
As New Glenn rocket stands ready for its Mars-bound mission, anticipation builds within the global space community. If the upcoming launch proceeds on schedule, it could mark the start of a new era in heavy-lift rocket operations, supporting both deep-space exploration and commercial satellite deployment.
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