Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin commercial space firm have debuted images and video of their first successful launch test.

In a message posted to the firm’s website Tuesday, Bezos lauded the Nov. 13, 2006 test of Goddard – a development vehicle for Blue Origin’s planned New Shepard program [image].

“The launch was both useful and fun,” Bezos wrote in the update, which features several images and videos from the launch test [image]. “Many friends and family came to watch the launch and support the team.”

Bezos’ message was also part recruitment drive, as he stated Blue Origin is actively seeking engineers to bolster the New Shepard effort.

Blue Origin has traditionally kept a tight lid over the details and progress of its commercial spaceflight plan, though plans for the test were brought to light in November when the Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice for aircraft to stay well clear of Blue Origin’s West Texas spaceport near Van Horn [map].

Unofficial reports on the flight stated that Goddard reached heights between 500 and 1000 feet (152 and 304 meters).

Blue Origin’s rocket concept is patterned after the vertical take-off and landing DC-XA vehicle [image]. In his Jan. 2 statement, Bezos said the firmed is committed to a lowering the cost of spaceflight to allow more than the elite few to reach space.

“Accomplishing this mission will take a long time, and we’re working on it methodically,” Bezos wrote. “We believe in incremental improvement and in keeping investments at a pace that’s sustainable.”

Click here for more images and launch video on Blue Origin’s public website.