Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Launch to Mars, Booster Lands Upright

Blue Origin marked a major milestone in the space race as its massive New Glenn rocket successfully launched two spacecraft destined for Mars, while the rocket’s reusable booster landed upright on a platform 375 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean—a feat never before achieved with a rocket of this size.

The launch took place at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where crowds cheered the liftoff after multiple delays caused by weather conditions. Onboard were two identical Mars orbiters named Escapade, set to arrive at the Red Planet in 2027.

This marks only the second flight of the New Glenn rocket, the flagship vehicle of Jeff Bezos’ space company. The first test flight in January managed to deliver a prototype satellite into orbit, but the booster failed to land.

This time, Blue Origin staff celebrated wildly as the booster stage successfully touched down upright, using onboard rockets to slow its descent. The achievement is crucial for the company’s ambitions to reduce costs and recycle large rockets for science-scale missions, a strategy already pioneered by SpaceX.

The booster recovery is particularly significant as it demonstrates the capability of handling larger rockets safely, opening new possibilities for Blue Origin in carrying NASA missions and other heavy payloads into space.

Jeff Bezos, alongside company executives and invited guests, witnessed the launch, which not only underscores Blue Origin’s advancements but also intensifies the ongoing competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the Mars mission race. Musk publicly congratulated Blue Origin on the success via X, acknowledging the milestone.

The successful launch and booster recovery represent a critical step forward for Blue Origin as it aims to make space travel more sustainable and cost-efficient. With the New Glenn rocket operational and capable of reusable missions, the company is poised to play a major role in upcoming interplanetary exploration and commercial space operations.