The private space race has written a new chapter. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, launched a mission to Mars for the first time yesterday, taking a step ahead of Elon Musk, who's long been obsessed with taking humanity to the red planet. The New Glenn rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying two NASA probes from the ESCAPADE mission, designed to study the magnetic environment of Mars. After ascending, the booster successfully landed on the maritime platform Jacklyn, named after Bezos’s mother, who passed away this past August. The first to share her excitement was his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos.
On social media, she wrote: "Watching New Glenn rise and then land on Jacklyn (named after Jeff’s mom) was so emotional for me, and it reflects years of discipline and dedication from Jeff and the entire Blue Origin team. I’m so proud of you all for this epic milestone."
She shared various photos on the post, showing an excited Bezos as he celebrated with Blue Origin their historic achievement, and the moment when New Glen launched.
At the moment, Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun, complicating a direct journey. However, in November 2026, their orbits will align favorably. Taking advantage of that astronomical window, the ESCAPADE probes will return to Earth’s vicinity and, through a gravity-assist maneuver, use Earth’s pull as an additional boost to set course for Mars.
For over a decade, Bezos and Musk have been involved in a private space race. Musk's SpaceX has achieved milestones such as sending astronauts to the International Space Station. Bezos and Blue Origin have focused on rocket reusability and on building infrastructure to enable more sustainable space travel. With this launch, Blue Origin positions itself ahead in the race to Mars for the first time. The reuse of the New Glenn booster represents a technical mlauren sanilestone that, until now, only SpaceX had achieved.
The future of space exploration
The ESCAPADE mission marks the beginning of a new chapter. Blue Origin announced that it hopes to establish permanent bases on Mars and prepare the ground for future human exploration. It is an ambitious project that raises many questions and debates regarding the ethics, sustainability, and role of private companies in space exploration.
Meanwhile, Lauren and Jeff continue as one of Earth's most notorious couples. The pair celebrated their marriage earlier this year, and continue to collaborate on different projects, including Lauren's own trip to space, marking the first time an all-female crew traveled to space since 1963.