Blue Origin New Glenn just Launched mission to Mars before SpaceX Starship But…NASA Declared
For the first time ever, both of SpaceX’s top leaders are publicly sending genuinely warm praise to their biggest rival. And there’s a clear reason for that: Blue Origin’s second New Glenn flight just delivered a set of milestones strong enough to finally stand shoulder-to-shoulder with SpaceX’s recent Starship achievements. It’s also the first real counterpunch Jeff Bezos has landed, something he hasn’t managed in more than 20 years of competition.
So what exactly did this mission accomplish? And how will it shape the future of Starship?
Let’s break it all down in today’s episode of Alpha Tech.
Blue Origin New Glenn just Launched mission to Mars before SpaceX Starship But…NASA Declared
After postponing the launch from the 12th due to a relatively strong solar storm, because they didn’t want it to affect such an important mission, Blue Origin decided to push New Glenn’s second flight, NG2 for short, to yesterday afternoon, November 13th. Luckily, it was Thursday, not Friday.
At first, they even counted down to T-minus 20 seconds, but some issue forced them to reset the launch clock. That had Blue Origin fans on edge, anxiously wondering if there’d be another delay. And it wasn’t just the fans, Jeff Bezos himself was on the edge too, since he was counting on this mission to earn recognition, proving that Blue Origin and the company’s flagship rocket, New Glenn, are just as impressive as SpaceX and Starship. Not to mention, another failure would be a serious blow to their reputation.
But thankfully, that worry vanished completely. This time, the countdown hit 3…2…1, and New Glenn, with its iconic pointy nosecone, roared to life as all seven BE-4 engines lifted the rocket off the pad. The water deluge system sprayed everywhere, smoke billowed high, the camera angles, and even the cheering all looked just like a Starship launch. Putting aside the competition, they really nailed it this time.
Blue Origin New Glenn just Launched mission to Mars before SpaceX Starship But…NASA Declared
The rocket safely passed the first three minutes, went through Max Q, and when it reached the separation stage, excitement and anxiety skyrocketed. The upper stage and booster began to separate, and the booster started its free fall. Emotions peaked, this was only the company’s second attempt to land on the droneship Jacklyn. Any failure now would’ve replayed the disaster of NG1 and shattered the rocket’s image.

Credit to : ALPHA TECH