New Glenn – Spaceflight Now

U.S. Space Force awards $13.7 billion in new national security launch contracts to Blue Origin, SpaceX and ULA

April 5, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The 54 national security missions will be awarded over the course of five years spanning FY25-FY29. The U.S. Space Force said missions are anticipated to fly from FY27-FY32.

History made: Blue Origin becomes first new space company to reach orbit on its first launch

January 15, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

Blue Origin was unsuccessful in recovering its first stage booster, but was able to achieve its primary goal of reaching orbit. Liftoff from pad 36 occurred at 2:03 a.m. EST (0703 UTC).

Blue Origin scrubs first New Glenn launch attempt due to “vehicle subsystem issue”

January 13, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

Blue Origin stood down from launch after multiple adjustments to the launch time. It ultimately determined that a technical issue was insurmountable in the time remaining on Monday.

FAA grants commercial launch license to Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket

December 27, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The important test is one of final big hurdles for Blue Origin to clear before it’s ready to launch on its inaugural orbital flight. Blue Origin didn’t announce a launch date following the FAA’s announcement of its launch license approval.

Blue Origin raises its first flight worthy New Glenn into launch position ahead of final testing

November 23, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Blue Origin aims to launch its first mission before the end of 2024. It will carry the company’s Blue Ring technology as its primary payload.

AST SpaceMobile secures multi-launch agreements with Blue Origin, ISRO and SpaceX

November 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

A batch of rockets will support sending up to about 60 of AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites to orbit. The company’s goal is to establish a space-based cellular broadband network.

Rocket Lab’s Mars-bound twin satellites – Blue and Gold – hit the road ahead of Blue Origin launch

August 16, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The twin spacecraft, named Blue and Gold, left Rocket Lab’s Long Beach facilities on Thursday to begin the trip to Florida. The EscaPADE mission will launch aboard Blue Origin’s first New Glenn rocket.

News from the Press Site: A roundup of the week’s space news

March 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Join us for a roundup of the week’s space news with reporters covering the big stories. Spaceflight Now’s Will Robinson-Smith is joined by Irene Klotz, Senior Space Editor for Aviation Week, and Richard Tribou, Space Reporter and Senior Content Editor for The Orlando Sentinel.

Amazon unveils plans for $120 million satellite processing facility for its internet constellation

July 21, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

On Friday, online retail giant amazon will join with members of Space Florida to reveal its plans for a 100,000-square-foot satellite processing facility located at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Launch companies, range teams reassessing Cape Canaveral weather rules

March 3, 2021 Stephen Clark

Launch companies and U.S. Space Force range officials at Cape Canaveral are reassessing long-standing weather rules, looking at beefing up rocket defenses against lightning, and considering strategies to prepare for two different launch windows on a given day to guard against weather delays, something SpaceX may demonstrate with a Falcon 9 launch early Thursday.