Cape Canaveral, Florida – Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos almost 25 years ago, is gearing up for a major milestone: launching a vehicle into orbit for the first time. The highly anticipated launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is scheduled to take place as early as 1 a.m. ET on Monday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A live stream of the historic moment will be available on various platforms, including social media, YouTube, and the company’s website.

Originally planned for Sunday morning, the launch was rescheduled due to unfavorable weather conditions at sea. The New Glenn rocket, standing at approximately 320 feet tall, is not only designed to carry satellites to space but is also one of the most powerful in the world, surpassing SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in terms of power during takeoff. The upcoming launch will be uncrewed, with Blue Origin testing its Blue Ring Pathfinder technology in orbit.

The success of the New Glenn launch could potentially position Blue Origin as a formidable competitor to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a key player in the commercial launch industry. The rocket is equipped with seven BE-4 engines in its first-stage booster, aiming to propel the vehicle into orbit at speeds exceeding 17,500 miles per hour. Following liftoff, the booster will detach and guide itself back to a seafaring recovery platform named Jacklyn for landing.

While the primary mission is to deliver the Blue Ring Pathfinder technology to orbit, a successful landing of the rocket booster on the recovery platform would mark a significant achievement for Blue Origin. The company’s goal is to reuse rocket boosters, similar to SpaceX’s approach, in an effort to reduce launch costs. Despite the potential challenges and risks involved in the launch, industry experts believe that New Glenn has the potential to make a significant impact in the launch market, becoming a reliable provider for future space missions.

In recent years, there has been a shift towards heavier lift vehicles like New Glenn, as demand for launching larger satellites and building megaconstellations in low-Earth orbit has increased. The evolution of the space industry has led to a preference for medium- to heavy-lift rockets due to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness in launching multiple payloads in a single mission. As Blue Origin prepares for this pivotal launch, the outcome could shape the company’s future trajectory in the highly competitive space industry.