Will Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Launch for the First Time This Week? Maybe.

January 5, 2025 – Speculation is high concerning the imminent launching of one of the largest space vehicles from Florida’s Space Coast since the days of the Apollo Mission when the massive Saturn V flew astronauts to the moon. Although a date has not yet been announced, it seems the New Glenn rocket from Blue Origin is close to making its maiden voyage, and it should be quite a show.

 

When it does fly, the rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and that would make it quite visible from the beach in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. Expected no earlier than 1 a.m. on Monday Jan. 6, the 320 foot tall New Glenn is about a third taller than the Falcon 9 from SpaceX, and comparable to the NASA Space Launch System, which measures 322 feet.

 

Here’s an interesting comparison that Florida Today put together showing how the New Glenn compares to space vehicles from today and in the past.

 

Blue Origin New Glenn stats

• 320 feet
• Two stage
• Blue Origin’s New Glenn will be used to carry payload to orbit and beyond. It will be utilized for Department of Defense missions, NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars, and to launch Amazon’s Kuiper internet satellites. Not much is currently known about this new rocket which could make its debut as early as Monday morning

 

SpaceX Starship

• 398 feet
• Two stage (Super Heavy Booster and Starship)
• When operational, Starship will carry payload and passengers to orbit and beyond. Starship is also contracted by NASA to ferry astronauts down to the lunar surface from the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis III mission, which is currently set for no earlier than 2027.

 

NASA Saturn V

• 363 feet
• Three stage
• The massive Saturn V rocket launched Apollo spacecraft carrying crews of three astronauts to the moon during late 1960s and early 1970s. It also launched America’s first space station − Skylab − in 1973.

 

NASA Space Launch System (SLS)

• 322 feet
• Two stage rocket with two solid rocket boosters
• NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) will launch Orion spacecraft and its astronaut crews of four to the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis II is currently scheduled to carry astronauts around the moon as soon as 2026. However, many speculate the future of this program may look different under the incoming administration.

SpaceX Falcon 9

• 229 feet
• Two stage
• Falcon 9 is Florida’s most commonly seen rocket. This rocket carries satellites and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft to orbit.

 

SpaceX Falcon Heavy

• 229 feet
• Two stage core rocket with two additional side first stage boosters
• Falcon Heavy is SpaceX’s current heavy lifter. Basically two additional first stage boosters added to a Falcon 9, this vehicle is used for heavy orbiting satellites and payload headed for other planets.

ULA Vulcan

• 202 feet
• Two stage with small solid rocket boosters
• ULA’s Vulcan has seen two certification flights to date. It will be utilized for carrying payloads to orbit, especially National Security missions.

 

ULA Atlas V

• 191 feet
• Two stage with small solid rocket boosters
• ULA’s Atlas V rocket is utilized for launching payloads into orbit. It saw one crewed flight with the launch of Boeing’s ill-fated Starliner spacecraft in June of 2024.

 

NASA Space Shuttle

• 184 feet
• Spacecraft launched by external tank and two solid rocket boosters
• From 1981 until 2011, NASA’s Space Shuttle launched crews and payload to orbit. Launching like a rocket and landing like a plane, there has not been another spacecraft like the space shuttle. Its unique payload bay allowed it to carry both astronauts and satellites on the same flight. Its most notable payload was NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which still orbits Earth to this day.

Source: Florida Today; Florida Today