The first flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket marks a pivotal moment in the company's development of heavy-lift space vehicles. The two-stage rocket, designed for reusability, will carry the Blue Ring spacecraft platform, capable of deploying and hosting multiple payloads. This mission also plays a key role in certifying New Glenn for National Security Space Launch missions, demonstrating its ability to handle sensitive and high-value payloads.

New Glenn’s powerful first stage, driven by seven BE-4 engines, will attempt to land on the ocean-based recovery platform "Jacklyn," showcasing Blue Origin’s efforts to develop a reusable and cost-effective rocket system. This mission is expected to significantly advance the company's long-term goals of supporting a wide range of commercial and governmental space missions​.

The launch date was Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 7:03 AM (UTC).

Blue Ring Demo