Photo:JOE RAEDLE-GETTY IMAGES
While SpaceX continues to amaze the world with its breakthroughs in space exploration, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is preparing to take its own step forward. Their New Glenn rocket, which has the potential to change the balance in the space industry, is about to make its maiden flight. Although the launch scheduled for Monday was postponed due to technical issues, it is expected to take place in the coming days.
The race of technologies: Blue Origin vs SpaceX
Against the backdrop of SpaceX’s launches, which this year has already sent two landers to the Moon aboard a Falcon 9, Blue Origin is trying to reduce its lag. The modules, created by the US company Firefly Aerospace and Japan’s ispace, will explore the lunar soil and study the Earth’s magnetic field. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk 20 years ago, has been far ahead of the competition with more than 400 successful launches, including the delivery of cargo to the ISS and the launch of the most powerful rocket in history, the Starship.
Blue Origin has not yet launched into orbit, but it has a successful track record of launching New Shepard rockets, including tourist flights. Its New Glenn rocket, named after astronaut John Glenn, is to be the company’s first orbital project. It is larger than the Falcon Heavy but smaller than the Starship, and also has a reusable booster that is to land on the Jacklyn spacecraft, named after Bezos’ mother, the BBC reports.
What’s at stake?
SpaceX has become a symbol of the space revolution, being the first to perform the chopsticks manoeuvre, when the giant Starship rocket was returned to the launch platform by mechanical arms. Blue Origin, in turn, has gained popularity in the space tourism industry, having sent actor William Shatner and Bezos himself on a suborbital flight.
The launch of the New Glenn will be an important milestone for Blue Origin in its fight for dominance in the space industry. If the flight is successful, Bezos’ company will be able to claim a significant market share, reducing SpaceX’s technological advantage.
The space race between the two billionaires is not only a competition between companies, but also a fight for the future of humanity in space. Will New Glenn be the next big breakthrough? The answer may come in the coming days.
