Blue Origin lands New Glenn rocket booster on second try

Blue Origin successfully landed the booster of its New Glenn rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean during its second launch attempt, becoming the second company after SpaceX to achieve such a milestone. This accomplishment marks a significant step toward making the New Glenn rocket a viable option for delivering larger payloads to space, including missions to the Moon and beyond. The launch took place on November 13, 2025, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with the booster touching down approximately 10 minutes after liftoff. In addition to the booster landing, the New Glenn’s upper stage carried Blue Origin’s first commercial payload: twin spacecraft for NASA designed to study Mars’ atmosphere. These spacecraft were scheduled for deployment later the same day. The successful landing follows a failed attempt during New Glenn’s maiden flight in January, when the booster exploded before it could land. Blue Origin’s achievement demonstrates progress in reusable rocket technology and advances its position in the competitive space launch industry.