LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. private space technology company Blue Origin launched its massive New Glenn rocket early Thursday on its first test flight.
The uncrewed mission is intended to carry Blue Origin's Blue Ring Pathfinder payload to orbit. The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the U.S. state of Florida at 2:03 a.m. Eastern Time (0703 GMT).
About three minutes after launch, Blue Origin confirmed the main engine cut-off and stage separation. Later, the company confirmed New Glenn's second stage and payload were in orbit.
The rocket's first stage failed to land on a platform located downrange in the Atlantic as planned.
The Blue Ring Pathfinder will remain onboard New Glenn's second stage for the duration of an expected six-hour mission.
Pathfinder is a payload that will test key technologies for Blue Origin's Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle. During the mission, it will validate Blue Ring's communications capabilities from orbit to ground. The mission will also test its in-space telemetry, tracking and command hardware, and ground-based radiometric tracking that will be used on Blue Ring's future space vehicle, according to Blue Origin.
"This is our first flight, and we've prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations is a replacement for flying this rocket," Blue Origin said on the social media platform X.
"Our key objective today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake," said the company.
New Glenn stands more than 98 meters high and features a seven-meter payload fairing, enabling twice the volume of standard five-meter class commercial launch systems.
Its reusable first stage is designed for operating at least 25 missions and is powered by seven of Blue Origin's BE-4 engines, the most powerful liquid oxygen (LOX)/liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled oxygen-rich staged combustion engines ever flown, according to Blue Origin. ■
