While preparations for the first launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket are accelerating, the company acknowledges there is still “lots to do”.

Kim joins Firefly as the ambitious space transportation startup, which has raised close to $600 million from investors since its 2021 founding, looks to launch a commercial lunar lander for NASA before the end of the year.

Blue Origin has only 40 days to go to be ready for its first launch of its heavy lift New Glenn rocket, but has a lot of boxes to tick before liftoff.

The ESCAPADE Mars mission, previously scheduled to launch atop a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket on Oct. 13, will now lift off in spring 2025 at the earliest.