The Blue Origin of Jeff Bezos The rocket, New Glenn, successfully lifted off from Florida early Thursday after its first launch attempt was cleared on Wednesday.

This flight is Bezos’ attempt to enter the private sector space race The successful launch could open up competition for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The New Glenn began its first ascent to the stars Thursday morning, and Blue Origin said the key goal of the first flight was just to get into orbit.

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A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 36 at the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 16, 2025. (GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

“To reiterate our objectives, this is our first flight, and we have prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground tests or mission simulations is a replacement for flying this rocket,” Blue Origin said via X.

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A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket enters orbit after lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 16, 2025. (GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)

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“Our key goal today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. We know that landing the booster on our first high-seas attempt in the Atlantic is ambitious, but let’s do it. Whatever happens, we’ll learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next release.” he said