Blue Origin continued to prep for the maiden flight of its massive New Glenn rocket as it went vertical on the launch pad Thursday ahead of an upcoming hot fire test needed before a launch attempt that is targeting before the end of the year.

New Glenn was stacked at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, which is next door to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Blue Origin has not announced an official launch date for the big new rocket, but media reports have suggested it could occur in late 2024.

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla. — Blue Origin achieved a critical milestone on Thursday, successfully lifting its massive New Glenn rocket to a vertical position at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is on track for its first launch before the end of 2024. The rocket, named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, has its first major customer, AST SpaceMobile,