What is Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket and how does it compete with SpaceX?

The answer

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, named after astronaut John Glenn, completed its first orbital launch on October 13, 2025, after years of development delays. Standing 98 meters (322 feet) tall - nearly as tall as SpaceX's Falcon 9 - New Glenn is a two-stage heavy-lift orbital rocket powered by seven BE-4 engines burning liquid natural gas and liquid oxygen, producing 3.85 million pounds of thrust. Its 7-meter payload fairing is the largest in the industry, capable of carrying 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit. Like Falcon 9, New Glenn's first stage is designed for reuse, with a landing ship positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket secured contracts from NASA, Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite constellation, and commercial satellite operators. Blue Origin's entry into the orbital launch market breaks SpaceX's near-monopoly on US commercial heavy-lift launches, potentially driving costs down through competition and providing customers with launch alternatives.