Science & technology | Lift-off at last?

Can Jeff Bezos match Elon Musk in space?

After 25 years, Blue Origin finally heads to orbit, and hopes to become a contender in the private space race

New Glenn during successful integrated vehicle hotfire.
Photograph: Blue Origin

IT HAS BEEN a long time coming. Assuming there are no last-minute delays, then in the next few days Blue Origin, a firm run by Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, will make the first launch of its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. If everything goes smoothly, then almost a quarter of a century after it was founded, Blue Origin will reach orbit for the first time—and the private space industry may have another contender.

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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Bolt from the blue”

From the January 4th 2025 edition

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