Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Reaches Orbit on First Flight, But Booster Recovery Fails

The rocket's successful orbital insertion marks a major milestone for Blue Origin, though the failed booster landing will require a mishap investigation before future launches.

• Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket launched successfully on January 16, 2025, achieving orbit on its maiden flight after years of development delays.
• The mission carried the Blue Ring Pathfinder, a technology demonstrator, which successfully met its objectives in orbit, testing communication and power systems.
• The reusable first-stage booster failed to land on the recovery ship Jacklyn, freezing telemetry during its descent, prompting a required mishap investigation by the FAA.
• The investigation will be led by Blue Origin with FAA oversight, and future launches are contingent on its completion and approval of corrective actions.
• Despite the booster recovery failure, industry leaders praised the milestone as a step toward increasing competition in the heavy-lift launch market currently dominated by SpaceX.

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