Blue Origin successfully completed a static fire test of its New Glenn rocket on October 30, 2025, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The engine test lasted approximately 40 seconds and involved the ignition of seven BE-4 engines, marking a significant milestone in preparation for NASA”s EscaPADE mission.
The test began at 9:59 PM EDT (01:59 UTC) at Launch Complex 36. This event followed an earlier brief ignition that did not sustain, which was accompanied by the activation of the water-based sound suppression system.
The New Glenn rocket, standing over 320 feet tall, is set to carry twin spacecraft to Mars as part of NASA”s mission, described as the “first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to the Red Planet.”
This was only the third instance of Blue Origin igniting its booster at this launch site, following a similar hotfire test conducted in December. The company aims to recover the booster through a propulsive landing on a barge named “Jacklyn,” in honor of Jeff Bezos” mother. Previous attempts faced challenges, including the first booster failing to relight its engines, which prevented recovery.
Looking ahead, Blue Origin hopes the next booster, dubbed “Never Tell Me the Odds,” will be successfully recovered and refurbished for future missions. This booster is intended to support the launch of the first Blue Moon Mk. 1 lander, which is designed to assist in developing a crewed version for NASA”s Artemis 5 mission.
Blue Origin continues to advance its capabilities, contributing to NASA”s ambitious goals in space exploration.
