New Glenn's Launch Is An Even Bigger Deal For Amazon Than For Blue Origin Itself | The Motley...

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Jeff Bezos has finally done it. He's finally reached space with an honest-to-goodness orbital-class rocket.

In the wee morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 16, Blue Origin launched its first New Glenn orbital-class rocket to space. The 322-foot rocket flew straight and true, reaching orbit on its first attempt, and its second stage deposited a prototype Blue Ring space tug in orbit. The rocket's reusable first stage then attempted a SpaceX-like barge landing, but missed its target and was lost at sea.

Granted, Blue Origin poses an even bigger threat to Lockheed Martin ( LMT -0.06% ) and Boeing ( BA -1.37% ) and their United Launch Alliance (ULA) joint venture, which charges $110 million for Vulcan rocket launches. Airbus ' ( EADSY 0.58% ) Arianespace charges $77 million for an Ariane 62 launch, and is probably worried, too.

Still, unless and until SpaceX lowers its price to compensate, or gets its new Starship rocket operational, it will be trying to sell customers on a rocket that costs the same as Blue Origin's New Glenn, but carries only half as much cargo.

Nor is this the only reason Blue Origin's success may leave Musk quaking in his space-boots. The biggest significance of Blue Origin getting New Glenn off the ground, you see, is that now it can begin flying Kuipersat internet satellites to orbit for Amazon   ( AMZN -0.24% ) .

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