Blue Origin’s much-anticipated New Glenn rocket took a significant step toward its inaugural flight with the assembly of its first and second stages. The rocket, designed for heavy-lift missions, was recently stacked in Blue Origin’s facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Named “GS-1” and “GS-2,” the stages were joined for the first time, marking a milestone as the company readies the rocket for a maiden launch, possibly in November 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Advanced Design for Heavy-Lift Capabilities The company revealed the news on its official X handle. Standing at 270 feet in its two-stage form, New Glenn is a major addition to the current heavy-lift rocket lineup. Unlike traditional expendable rockets, its first-stage booster is fully reusable, promising to lower launch costs and increase launch frequency. The three-stage configuration, if used, will bring the rocket’s height to 313 feet. For context, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 varies between 209 and 230 feet tall, depending on configuration. Blue Ring Spacecraft and National Security Mission The upcoming mission, known as DarkSky-1, will carry …