Challenge to Elon Musk’s SpaceX: Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to attempt first reused booster launch of New Glenn rocket
Blue Origin, the US space company founded by Jeff Bezos, is set to attempt a major milestone on Sunday as it reuses a rocket booster for the first time in the launch of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.The launch is scheduled from Cape Canaveral between 6:45 am and 8:45 am local time, carrying a communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile. The nearly 100-metre-tall rocket has previously flown twice, but only with new boosters, making this its first reuse attempt, as per news agency AFP.
Reusable booster key to cutting costs, boosting competition
The move marks a significant step in Blue Origin’s efforts to reduce launch costs and increase frequency, as it competes with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has pioneered reusable rocket technology.The booster being used in Sunday’s mission was recovered during a previous flight in November, when it successfully made a controlled vertical landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean — a complex engineering feat. It was later refurbished, with all engines replaced and additional modifications made for reuse.A prior attempt to recover a New Glenn booster in January 2025 had failed after its engines did not reignite during descent.
High-stakes mission for Bezos’s space ambitions
After liftoff, the rocket’s two stages will separate, with the upper stage continuing to carry the satellite into orbit while the booster returns to Earth for another landing attempt at sea.The mission is being closely watched as New Glenn is central to Blue Origin’s long-term ambitions, particularly its role in Nasa’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028.Blue Origin is competing directly with SpaceX in developing lunar landers for the programme, part of a broader push by the United States to re-establish a human presence on the Moon amid growing competition from China.A successful booster reuse on Sunday could mark a turning point for Blue Origin, helping it narrow the gap with SpaceX in the rapidly evolving commercial space race.
