Two highly anticipated heavy rocket launches have taken place during the past week, showcasing advancements by two leading aerospace companies.
Blue Origin conducted the first test flight of its heavy-lift rocket, New Glenn, after years of delays. The launch took place after 2 a.m. EST on Jan 16 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
New Glenn is a heavy-lift rocket designed to carry up to 45 tons into Earth’s orbit and can deliver smaller payloads to other orbits, the Moon, or even other planets. While its capabilities are comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, New Glenn incorporates innovative features. For instance, it uses methane and oxygen as fuel, similar to SpaceX’s Starship. The rocket’s first stage is designed to be reusable, landing…