Standing over 320 feet tall, it dwarfs the SpaceX's 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, featuring a 23-foot diameter payload fairing designed to handle massive payloads — twice the volume of typical commercial rockets in its class.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin is poised to launch its first orbital rocket next week, marking a pivotal moment in the commercial space race currently dominated by Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Beachside spectators have monitored the rocket and Launch Complex 36 pre-launch activities on the horizon for weeks, including a Dec. 27 hot-fire test.

A rocket is expected to be launched at a launchpad in Florida that has been inactive for almost two decades. A new rocket about 98 meters long, developed by Blue Origin, is being prepared for the first flight,