Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
1 comment 
After Almost Two Decades of Inactivity, a Platform in Florida Will Be the Stage for the Launch of the New Glenn, a Revolutionary Rocket from Blue Origin by Jeff Bezos. At 98 Meters Tall and Capable of Carrying Up to 45 Metric Tons, the Mission Promises to Inaugurate a New Era in the Space Race Against SpaceX.
After almost two decades of inactivity, the launch platform in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is ready to witness the takeoff of a giant: the New Glenn rocket. Developed by Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s company, this 98-meter rocket could be the next big step in the space race, challenging Elon Musk’s SpaceX dominance. But does it have what it takes to compete on equal footing?
The Return to the Sleeping Platform in Florida
With about 30 stories high, the New Glenn is preparing for its inaugural flight at the historic Cape Canaveral base. This moment symbolizes not only a milestone for Blue Origin but also the return of a platform that has been the stage for major advancements in space exploration.
The rocket promises to be a game changer. Its robust design includes a reusable first-stage booster that, after takeoff, will attempt to land gently on a sea platform called Jacklyn — a tribute to Jeff Bezos’s mother. This reuse is essential to make launches more accessible, a strategy that has already revolutionized the industry thanks to SpaceX.
-
2.6 million-year-old jaw fossil found in the Afar desert reveals that Paranthropus lived 1,000 km further north than previously known and changes scientists’ view of the robust cousins of humans.
-
SpaceX prepares the launch of Starship V3, the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, in a test that could decide the future of travel to the Moon and Mars.
-
Brazilian researchers develop new coating to improve fertilizer utilization and reduce waste in the soil
-
Archaeologists open a Roman tomb in Al-Bahnasa with gold-tongued mummies and discover inside one of the mummies the first Greek literary text ever found in funerary practice.
The Challenge to Overcome SpaceX
Like SpaceX, Blue Origin aims to recover its boosters to reduce costs and increase launch frequency. However, Blue Origin’s philosophy is more cautious, following Bezos’s motto: “slow and steady wins the race”.
Compared to the Falcon 9, the New Glenn has twice the payload capacity, able to carry up to 45 metric tons to orbit. This positions it between the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, but with a competitive price ranging from US$ 60 million to US$ 70 million per launch.
The First Mission of the New Glenn
This first launch will not carry commercial satellites or NASA payloads. Instead, it will test a technology demonstrator that will validate critical systems for future missions.
Although it’s just a test, the success of the New Glenn in this mission is crucial for Blue Origin to establish itself as a competitive player in the orbital launch market.
Future of Blue Origin: Beyond Orbital Reef
Blue Origin has already secured contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial agreements, including the launch of Amazon’s Kuiper internet satellites. These contracts reinforce its relevance in the aerospace sector.
Jeff Bezos dreams of moving heavy manufacturing off Earth, transforming our planet into a national park for future generations. The New Glenn is a key piece in making this vision a reality, enabling the transportation of massive payloads into space.
The reuse of rockets, as proposed by Blue Origin, is not just a trend, but a necessity. Reducing launch costs is essential for making large-scale space exploration viable.
How Blue Origin Differs from SpaceX
While SpaceX adopts a more experimental approach, Blue Origin prefers a more calculated pace. This philosophical difference could be its strength or weakness, depending on how the market develops.
The New Glenn represents more than just a rocket; it is the manifestation of an ambitious dream of Jeff Bezos. If its debut is successful, Blue Origin could establish itself as a viable alternative to SpaceX, shaping the future of space exploration and redefining the limits of what is possible beyond Earth.
With the imminent launch, one question remains: will the New Glenn be able to take off not only from Earth but also from the role of understudy in the space race?
Pressa para quê? O homem tem dinheiro de sobra para ‘queimar’, e tem seus satélites para levar quando tiver pronto! E se faltar clientes ele ‘compra’ alguns!