Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket reached orbit for the first time on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for Jeff Bezos’s company in the fiercely competitive commercial space race.
The achievement positions Blue Origin as a stronger contender against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, whose Falcon rockets have long dominated orbital launches with their reliability and reusability. The heavy-lift rocket launched from a spaceport in Florida and managed to reach orbit on its first attempt. The flight was broadcast live by the company on its social media channels.
Amazon founder Mr Bezos posted a video of the lift-off on X, and his competitor Elon Musk was also quick to post: “Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt!” The rocket's name is a tribute to astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth.
There is strong demand in the launch industry for heavy-lift rockets – vehicles that are powerful enough to carry large satellites and space station modules into a variety of orbits. Only a limited number of these powerful rockets operate in the market, including the Falcon Heavy and the Space Launch System, developed by Boeing, Northrop Grumman and the United Launch Alliance for Nasa for flights to the Moon. China and Russia also have operational heavy-lift rockets.
“I think the most significant aspect about New Glenn now finally being close to ready is that both Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have very ambitious visions for space exploration,” Lin Kayser, co-founder of LEAP 71 – a Dubai company that develops artificial intelligence models to generate rocket engines, told The National in an earlier interview.
“Bezos’s dreams of a civilisation of trillions of humans living throughout the solar system seemed very disconnected from Blue Origin’s reality, despite significant funding. Now that working spacecraft are within reach, maybe we will see his company accelerate towards that vision.”
Blue Origin has already secured high-profile contracts for New Glenn, including 12 for Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite constellation. It also won the right to bid on $5.6 billion worth of US Space Force national security missions, along with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.
The company already has its suborbital rocket New Shepard that it uses for space tourism flights. It has flown 38 passengers to the edge of space since 2021. It was also developing the Orbital Reef, a commercial space station in low-Earth orbit, with aerospace company Sierra Space, but the latest reports suggest that partnership could be in limbo.
"To be brutally clear, SpaceX, who routinely reuse boosters, and have much more advanced engine designs, and who are close to successfully qualifying [starting commercial operations with] Starship, are still a decade ahead of everyone else,” said Mr Kayser.
“The New Glenn’s capabilities compare favourably with Falcon Heavy, even though its engine design is still playing catch-up with SpaceX. The Vulcan, not being reusable, and which relies on the BE-4 engines that Blue Origin developed for New Glenn, is likely not going to hold up to the competition.”
Anna Hazlett, founder of AzurX, a UAE-based private advisory and investment firm specialising in the space sector, told The National that Blue Origin's achievement could also benefit the Middle East's space sector.
"With its ability to carry larger payloads, New Glenn offers transformative opportunities for the Middle East’s rapidly expanding space sector, supporting critical initiatives in Earth observation, communications and space exploration," said Ms Hazlett.
"This launch capability will provide regional stakeholders with greater flexibility and expanded options for space transportation.
"Having worked alongside various teams and programmes at Blue Origin since 2021, we are excited about the opportunities this milestone will unlock for the company and its customers."
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
