Florida’s sky briefly lit up during the night as one of a handful of big new American-made rockets took flight. It was the first time a new space company achieved orbit on the first launch attempt.

Eastern time on Jan. 16, 2025, a new rocket blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. By reaching orbit, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launch has marked a milestone for a commercial space company that has big ambitions.

After years of delays, the billionaire’s Blue Origin space company launched its New Glenn rocket early Thursday.