Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos over 25 years ago, has once again pushed the boundaries of spaceflight technology. This week, the company successfully executed a precise landing of its massive New Glenn rocket on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean, marking a significant milestone in heavy-lift launch capabilities.

The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 3:55 pm EST. Originally scheduled for Sunday, the mission was postponed due to weather conditions and a solar storm that posed radiation risks. Despite these challenges, the rocket’s second stage touched down accurately on its target platform nine minutes after liftoff.

Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp highlighted the achievement, noting that “Never Tell Me The Odds,” a nickname for the rocket’s first stage, had a flawless landing—an unprecedented feat for such a large booster on its second attempt. Industry experts emphasize that this success demonstrates the viability of offshore landings for future heavy-lift missions, which could revolutionize cargo delivery to space.

This milestone reflects Blue Origin’s growing expertise in reusable rockets and signals a new era for commercial space launches, with plans to increase their flight cadence and serve more customers worldwide.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.