Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Launch: How to Watch Live on January 12

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Launch: What You Need to Know

Blue Origin is gearing up for one of its most significant milestones in space exploration, as the Jeff Bezos-owned commercial space company is set to launch its New Glenn rocket. This will mark the inaugural flight of what could become a key player in the commercial space industry and the satellite internet market.

What is New Glenn?

First unveiled in 2016, the New Glenn rocket is a state-of-the-art launch vehicle designed to transport cargo, satellites, and, in the future, human passengers into orbit. Named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, who was the first American to orbit Earth, this rocket stands at an impressive height of 320 feet.

Key Features of New Glenn

• Powerful Engines: The first stage is equipped with seven BE-4 engines, which run on liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen.
• Reusable Design: New Glenn boasts a reusable first stage capable of landing on a sea-based platform, with a goal of performing at least 25 missions.
• Payload Capacity: The rocket can carry up to 13 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit and 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit.
• Safety Engineering: It is designed with the safety and redundancy needed for human flights.

The Launch Timeline and Expectations

The New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 12th, 2024. A three-hour window opens at 1 AM ET (10 PM PT). This launch has been postponed from January 10th due to unfavorable sea conditions.

Payload on Board

For its first uncrewed launch, the New Glenn will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder, which includes a communications array, power system, and flight computer. This payload aims to showcase the capabilities of the Blue Ring spacecraft, which will support missions involving refueling, data relay, and cloud computing.

Competing with SpaceX

If successful, the New Glenn launch could significantly affect the dominance of SpaceX, helmed by Elon Musk, particularly in the commercial space sector. The rocket's capabilities are comparable to SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which has a similar payload capacity but boasts a larger cargo bay at 23 feet in diameter.

New Glenn and Amazon's Project Kuiper

The New Glenn rocket plays a critical role in Amazon's Project Kuiper, an initiative aimed at deploying a constellation of satellites to provide internet coverage. Despite the first batch of Project Kuiper satellites launching aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 this year, Blue Origin has plans to eventually use New Glenn to send additional satellites into orbit, directly competing with SpaceX’s Starlink network.

How to Watch the Launch Live

On launch day, Blue Origin is expected to stream the event live on their official website and YouTube channel. Keep an eye out for additional updates as the launch date approaches!

The Future Ahead

As Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President of New Glenn stated, "This is our first flight and we’ve prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations are a replacement for flying this rocket. It’s time to fly." No matter the outcome, insights and learnings from this launch will guide future missions.

In conclusion, the New Glenn launch represents a pivotal moment for Blue Origin and the broader commercial space industry. It not only challenges rivals like SpaceX but also promises new advancements in satellite internet technology through Project Kuiper.