
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket had a very big day on Thursday (Nov. 13), and a new video lets us all relive part of it.
New Glenn launched for the second time ever on Thursday afternoon, successfully sending NASA's twin ESCAPADE Mars probes into the final frontier from Florida's Space Coast.
But that wasn't all. The two-stage rocket's huge first stage came back to Earth as planned, acing a landing on "Jacklyn," Blue Origin's drone ship, which was stationed about 375 miles (604 kilometers) offshore.
Previously, only one company had ever pulled off this dramatic maneuver — SpaceX, which has pioneered the recovery and reuse of orbital rockets.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos celebrated the New Glenn landing on X, posting several videos of the 188-foot-tall (57 meters) booster steering its way through the sky toward Jacklyn.
One video showed the landing itself, during which the booster sidled over to Jacklyn rather than drop directly onto it from above.
"We nominally target a few hundred feet away from Jacklyn to avoid a severe impact if engines fail to start or start slowly," Bezos wrote in the Friday morning (Nov. 14) X post that featured this video. "We’ll incrementally reduce that conservatism over time. We are all excited and grateful for yesterday. Amazing performance by the team! Gradatim Ferociter."
(Gradatim Ferociter, Latin for "Step by Step, Ferociously," is Blue Origin's motto.)
Blue Origin named the first stage that flew on Thursday "Never Tell Me the Odds," a nod to the perceived improbability of a successful touchdown.
"It turns out 'Never Tell Me The Odds' had perfect odds — never before in history has a booster this large nailed the landing on the second try," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a company statement. "This is just the beginning as we rapidly scale our flight cadence and continue delivering for our customers."
Each New Glenn first stage is designed to fly at least 25 times, according to Blue Origin. "Never Tell Me the Odds" looks intact — startlingly clean, in fact — in post-landing photos, so don't be surprised to see the booster on the pad again before too much longer.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Affordable Care Act enrollment is slightly ahead of last year, despite expiring subsidies - 2
I work with companies to confront addiction in the workplace. The hidden crisis is costing corporate America millions. - 3
Study shows no clear link between low-fat dairy and dementia risk - 4
Step by step instructions to Protect Your Retirement with Senior Protection. - 5
Thyssenkrupp to suspend electrical steel production at French site
Genome study reveals milestone in history of cat domestication
Accor signs agreement to transform El Gouna resort as Sofitel
Smooth out Your Funds: Cash The board Simplified
Are Iraqi militias crossing into Iran to support Iran's war effort?
Israel approves 19 new West Bank settlements in major annexation push
Instructions to Arrange Your Compensation During Medical caretaker Prospective employee meetings
The most effective method to Apply Antiquated Ways of thinking in Current Brain science Practices
Israel faces tough choices over haredi draft exemptions, legal expert warns
'Hero' who wrestled gun from Bondi shooter named as Ahmed al Ahmed













