Blue Origin rocket, the new glenn lifts off on first flight

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket, New Glenn, successfully lifted off from Florida early Thursday after its first launch attempt was scrubbed on Wednesday.

This flight is Bezos’ attempt to enter the private space race. The successful launch could open up competition for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

New Glenn began its first-ever ascent toward the stars Thursday morning, and Blue Origin said the first flight’s main goal was simply to get into orbit.

JEFF BEZOS’ BLUE ORIGINS NEW GLENN ROCKET IN SPACE FAA LICENSES

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 36 of the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 2025. (GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

“To reiterate our goal – this is our first flight, and we’ve prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations is a substitute for flying this rocket,” Blue Origin said via X.

JEFF BEZOS, ELON MUSK SPACE RACE SWEEP BACK AS BLUE ORIGIN ASKS FAAA TO LIMIT SPACEC LAUNCHES

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket streaks into orbit after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 2025. (GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

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“Our main goal today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. We know it’s ambitious to land the booster on our first attempt offshore in the Atlantic – but we’re going for it. No matter what happens, we will learn, refine and apply that knowledge to our next launch,” it said.