New Glenn reached orbit (left) but Starship exploded, raining debris (right)
Blue Origin; SWNS
Compare these two scenes: on 16 January, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket triumphantly reached orbit for the first time, while SpaceX’s Starship burst into flames above the Atlantic Ocean. You might think that the established space company, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has suffered a setback, while Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin is in the ascendancy. The reality is more complicated, but it is true that SpaceX’s dominance may be under threat.
New Glenn’s launch comes after decades in development and numerous delays and…