Godspeed, New Glenn: Blue Origin’s massive rocket is about to take flight – for a second time.
The company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos is preparing for New Glenn’s launch, a mission it refers to as NG-2, tentatively set for Sunday, Nov. 9, from Cape Canaveral.
What’s more, the countdown to 100 launches continues for Florida’s Space Coast with Blue Origin’s ESCAPADE mission – expected to be the 94th orbital rocket launch of the year from here.
Rockets here launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and people in and around Brevard County usually have the best chance at seeing this phenomenon in the sky.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover and trajectory, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast is sometimes visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach and as far south as Vero Beach and West Palm Beach.
When there’s a launch window at night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos – the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.
As Blue Origin prepares for New Glenn’s second-ever mission, below is more information on this rocket launch from Florida and suggestions on where to watch it in person (or virtually via the USA TODAY Network’s Space Team).
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com, Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com or Space Connect reporter Eric Lagatta at elagatta@usatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.
What is Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket?
Named in honor of NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is a powerful two-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle manufactured by billionaire Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company Blue Origin.
The spacecraft has only launched one time so far, with its maiden flight Jan. 16, 2025, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. While the upper stage reached orbit in the debut, the booster itself was lost during the descent.
Blue Origin envisions that New Glenn will be capable of shuttling Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites to orbit and undertaking other missions for paying customers – including NASA and telecommunications providers.
How tall is Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket?
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket stands at 322 feet tall.
That includes a nearly 23-foot-wide fairing that is designed to carry cargo to orbit. The rocket’s first stage is powered by seven of Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines, while the upper stage, which flies in orbit, operates with two of the company’s BE-3U engines designed for the vacuum of space.
The first stage is also made to be reusable for at least 25 flights, according to Blue Origin.
When is the New Glenn rocket launch in Florida? Sunday, November 9: NASA Blue Origin ESCAPADE
Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?
Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.
Where to see Florida rocket launch in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach area
In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots:
• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore)
• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park.
• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida’s East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.
• Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.
• Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill
• Goodrich’s Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill
• Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill
• Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill
• Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill
• Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill
• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill
• A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill
• Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above)
• Rose Bay in Port Orange, Florida
• beaches along New Smyrna Beach, Florida
• New Smyrna Beach Inlet, New Smyrna Beach lifeguard station
• Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona Beach, Florida
• Ormond-by-the-Sea in Ormond Beach, Florida
• George R. Kennedy Memorial Park in Edgewater, Florida
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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Where to watch NASA Blue Origin rocket launch in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill
Reporting by Jennifer Sangalang, Rick Neale, Eric Lagatta and Brooke Edwards, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
