Guide to Watching Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Launch

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is all set for its highly anticipated debut liftoff. Initially delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions, the space company owned by Jeff Bezos announced that this $2.5 billion reusable rocket will aim to launch as early as Monday, January 13. The launch window will open for three hours starting at 1 AM ET. You can tune into Blue Origin's website, X, or their YouTube channel to catch the live webcast, which will begin an hour prior to the scheduled launch.

Marking its inaugural mission, dubbed NG-1, New Glenn's flight will serve as its first Space Force national security certification mission. This certification is crucial if Blue Origin is to compete against companies like SpaceX for Department of Defense and national intelligence contracts. Designed for reusability, its first stage can be deployed for at least 25 missions. Several New Glenn rockets are currently under production at Blue Origin.

According to Blue Origin, the New Glenn is "our giant, reusable rocket built for bigger things." Living up to its "giant" label, the rocket stands over 320 ft (98 m) high. Its "bigger things" could entail missions to Mars and other expansive projects, including a carrying capacity of over 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 13 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). In comparison, SpaceX's Falcon Heavy can lift nearly 64 metric tons to LEO and almost 27 metric tons to GTO.

On its maiden voyage, New Glenn will carry a prototype of the company's multipurpose Blue Ring Pathfinder. This craft is designed to transport, refuel, and host satellites and other spacecraft, and is capable of carrying up to three metric tons of cargo. The upcoming launch will test the Blue Ring's core flight and ground systems and operational capabilities.

The New Glenn will launch from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, and its reusable first stage will land on a barge named "Jacklyn," stationed several hundred miles out in the Atlantic Ocean.

Named after pioneering astronaut John Glenn, the rocket completed its first launch countdown dress rehearsal on December 27. The test featured several countdown attempts, and eventually, the rocket's seven BE-4 engines were fired up for a duration of 24 seconds, with 13 seconds operating at full thrust. Originally scheduled for October, the inaugural flight was postponed due to preparation delays but is now on track for its January launch window, aiming to prove its readiness for future missions, including carrying Mars-bound satellites for NASA.