section_path: History/Inaugural launch
section_name: Inaugural launch
paragraph_text: Inaugural launch
  
  On 12 June 2024 Blue Origin received the communications license for the inaugural flight of New Glenn. The vehicle was selected for the U.S. NSSL program with expectation that the inaugural launch would occur no later than December 2024.
  
  Preparations began in earnest in late August for what was to be New Glenn's debut launch, carrying the ESCAPADE mission consisting of two Photon satellites destined for Mars on a VADR contract from NASA. After consultation with NASA, it was decided however to forgo the October launch window to avoid "significant cost, schedule, and technical challenges", as well as the risks of removing fuel from the vehicle in the event of a launch delay.
  
  As of September 2024, the debut launch was planned to be a demonstration launch for the United States Space Force 's National Security Space Launch program, carrying a prototype Blue Ring spacecraft platform. The booster for the flight was named So You're Telling Me There's a Chance, alluding to the difficulty of landing a reusable booster on the first attempt.
  
  Testing continued in October 2024 with successful hot fire tests of the second stage. The completed first stage (GS1) moved to the launchpad on 30 October 2024 ahead of the first flight.
  
  The Flight 1 vehicle was moved to the launchpad on 20 November 2024 for static fire testing. Full wet dress rehearsal occurred on 19 December 2024, and a 24-second static fire was conducted on 27 December.
  
  On 13 January 2025, Blue Origin conducted their first launch attempt with the vehicle. After several slips in the countdown, the attempt was scrubbed at approximately 3:05 AM EST (0805 UTC).
  
  On 16 January 2025, 2:03 AM EST (0703 UTC), New Glenn launched for the first time. Blue Origin reached orbit on its first attempt, injecting the GS-2 upper stage and the Blue Ring prototype payload into medium earth orbit. Blue Origin stated that GS-1, the first stage of New Glenn, was lost on descent. Telemetry showed that the booster was traveling at an approximate speed of Mach 5.5 at an altitude of 84,226ft (25.7 km) before it was deemed lost.
  
  Following the unsuccessful landing, a mishap investigation into the atmospheric reentry of the returning booster was led by Blue Origin, with the involvement and review by the FAA. This investigation was successfully completed by 31 March 2025.