Blue Origin Set to Launch New Glenn Rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday After Weather Delay

marks a significant milestone for the aerospace company as it seeks to expand its capabilities

BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FLORIDA — Blue Origin is gearing up for the highly anticipated debut flight of its New Glenn rocket, now scheduled to launch no earlier than early Sunday, Jan. 12.

After a weather-related delay, the rocket is set to lift off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station during a three-hour window opening at 1 a.m. EST.

Initially slated for Jan. 10, the mission was postponed due to rough offshore weather that could impact the rocket’s first-stage landing on the recovery ship, “Jacklyn,” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

This marks a significant milestone for the aerospace company as it seeks to expand its capabilities in reusable orbital launch systems.

The launch will occur from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station when conditions are expected to be favorable.

The rocket’s trajectory will take it eastward over the Atlantic.

One of the key highlights of the mission is the planned landing of New Glenn’s first stage booster. It is set to touch down on Jacklyn, Blue Origin’s specially designed autonomous landing ship, ensuring the rocket’s reusability for future missions.

Blue Origin is starting the new year with anticipation as it prepares to launch its towering 320-foot New Glenn rocket for the first time from Launch Complex 36.

The company, founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, has been building toward this moment for years. Named after John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, the New Glenn rocket represents a leap forward for Blue Origin.

Unlike its smaller New Shepard rocket, which has been ferrying payloads and tourists to the edge of space since 2015, the New Glenn is designed for low-Earth orbit, deep space missions, and even lunar exploration.

Blue Origin recently completed a crucial hot-fire test of its seven BE-4 engines on December 27.

The successful engine trial was a major step forward for the New Glenn program, which has faced delays over the years. Blue Origin announced that the test met all objectives, clearing the way for the maiden flight, designated New Glenn-1 (NG-1).

The NG-1 mission will not carry a commercial payload but will instead transport a 45,000-pound mass simulator to test the rocket’s performance. The mission is a critical step toward certifying New Glenn for the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.

One of New Glenn’s key features is its reusability. After launch, the rocket’s 188-foot first-stage booster is expected to attempt a landing on Blue Origin’s marine vessel Jacklyn, which has been stationed at Port Canaveral since September.

Like SpaceX’s autonomous drone ships, Jacklyn operates without a crew onboard during recovery attempts.

The New Glenn rocket is designed to carry payloads of up to 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 13 metric tons to geostationary orbit, making it a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy.

Blue Origin has already lined up customers, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper—a rival to SpaceX’s Starlink—and other government and commercial contracts.

Similar Stories