Lauren Sánchez Bezos is offering a rare look behind the scenes as her husband Jeff Bezos guided the latest milestone for Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
Sánchez, 55, posted several photos to Instagram on Thursday, Nov. 13, showing Bezos, 61, wearing a headset and cheering as the rocket lifted off. “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,” she wrote. “I’m so proud of you all for this epic milestone. 🚀❤️❤️”
According to CBS News, the launch sent two small NASA satellites on a long journey toward Mars. The mission had faced a three-day delay due to stormy weather both on Earth and in space. Now in flight, the satellites will gather data about the red planet’s thinning atmosphere.
New Glenn stands 321 feet tall and is powered by seven methane-burning engines. The rocket lifted off at 3:55 p.m. ET from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as reported by ABC 7. Its landing took place on Jacklyn, an offshore landing vessel named in honor of Bezos’ mother, per CBS.
Earlier this year, Blue Origin faced public scrutiny following an April space flight carrying a 10-passenger crew that included Sánchez, Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. That mission lasted 11 minutes and reached the edge of space before returning safely to Earth.
