For Space UpClose  16 Jan 2025

COCOA BEACH, FL – Just in the nick of time we arrived back from traveling to witness the maiden launch of Blue Origin New Glenn rocket on the NG-1 test flight mission

The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launched on the NG-1 mission at 2:03 AM ET Jan 16, 2025 from Space Launch Complex-36 (SLC-36)

Blastoff took place under mostly thick cloudy overhead skies and disappeared quickly with just a few brief moments of visibility as it arced over to orbit in and out of the cloud deck – see my timelapse streaks.

The Space UpClose team of Ken Kremer and Jean Wright watched the launch from the Hilton Garden hotel in Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic Ocean

The first New Glenn rocket finally launched in Jan 2025 after much delay on a mostly successful maiden mission

“New Glenn safely reached its intended orbit during today’s NG-1 mission, accomplishing our primary objective, Blue Origin confirmed post launch.

“New Glenn’s seven BE-4 engines ignited on January 16, 2025, at 2:03 a.m. EST (0703 UTC) from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.”

The first stage generates about 4 million pounds of liftoff thrust and roared off pad 36 on an easterly trajectory

The New Glenn first stage is designed to be recovered for reuse but that did not succeed on the maiden mission.

The second stage achieved its intended orbit as planned following two successful burns of the BE-3U engines, said Blue.

“The Blue Ring Pathfinder is receiving data and performing well. We lost the booster during descent.”

“I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt,” said Dave Limp, CEO, Blue Origin. “We knew landing our booster, So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance, on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone.”

The next flight is planned for sometime in 2025 – perhaps NASAs twin ESCAPADE Mars orbiters which were delayed from 2024 when the rocket wasn’t yet ready for flight

Future New Glenn missions will carry the Blue Moon Mark 1 cargo lander and the Mark 2 crewed lander to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program.

My timelapse streak was featured on ABC News Orlando WFTV – see lead photo

I was interviewed about the mission on Fox 35 Orlando

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Ken Kremer interviews about Blue Origin New Glenn rocket and NG-1 mission launch

https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/1576482

https://x.com/ken_kremer/status/1881492567231209498

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