Rocket returned, lightly used: Why Blue Origin's landed New Glenn booster is so clean

The first stage of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which launched NASA’s ESCAPADE Mars mission on Nov. 13, 2025, is rolled into a hangar at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for inspection and refurbishment. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp posted this photo on X on Nov. 20, 2025.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket aced its first-ever landing last week — and even managed to stay pretty, despite the ordeal.

The milestone occurred on Nov. 13, during the launch of NASA's twin ESCAPADE Mars probes from Florida's Space Coast. New Glenn's first stage came back to Earth about nine minutes after liftoff, touching down in the Atlantic Ocean on Blue Origin's drone ship "Jacklyn."