Amazon Rocket

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has revealed further details about the New Glenn, a reusable rocket he has been developing inside his Blue Origin space company

19:25 13 September 2016

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has revealed further details about the New Glenn, a reusable rocket designed to launch satellites and people from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Mr Bezo confirmed that the first launch will take place at the end of the decade.

 

His company, Blue Origin, has already been successful in creating sub orbital-rocket and the capsule system known as New Shepard. This has flown five times over the Texas desert, with the booster returning to Earth safely on the last four occasions.

 

However, Mr Bezo has always wanted to build a much more capable vehicle, paving the way for the New Glenn, named after the first American to orbit the planet – John Glenn.

 

In a statement on Monday, the Amazon boss said: "Our vision is millions of people living and working in space, and New Glenn is a very important step."

 

He added: "It won't be the last of course. Up next on our drawing board: New Armstrong. But that's a story for the future."