Blue Origin, the rocket company Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos founded, notched one of the most substantial successes in its history on Thursday: sending a rocket to orbit.

Blue Origin’s next flight will simulate the moon’s gravity and will fly 30 payloads, according to the company. The next New Shepard flight, NS-29, is scheduled for early next week. The launch window opens at 9 a.

Blue Origin is key to Amazon's ability to compete with SpaceX Starlink. Jeff Bezos has finally done it. He's finally reached space with an honest-to-goodness orbital-class rocket. Ten years ago, Bezos ignited a feud with SpaceX founder Elon Musk when his Blue Origin rocket company launched a suborbital New Shepard rocket to the edge of space and then landed it back on Earth.

Blue Origin has shared a video recap of last week's maiden launch of the New Glenn, including dramatic close-up footage of the rocket leaving the launchpad.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launches suborbital New Shepard rocket from Texas Blue Origin launches a suborbital New Shepard rocket from Texas without humans aboard, carrying 30 research payloads, including some for moon-related studies.