Blue Origin’s second launch of the New Glenn rocket was postponed due to bad weather. This delay affects NASA’s Mars mission. The company, founded by Jeff Bezos, has rescheduled its next launch attempt for Wednesday, November 12, between 2:50 PM and 4:17 PM ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This launch is crucial for the New Glenn rocket, as it aims to send NASA’s ESCAPADE probes into space. These twin probes will explore Mars’s magnetic field and atmosphere. They are expected to reach Mars orbit by 2027. This mission marks NASA’s first Mars launch since 2020 when it sent the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter to the planet.
New Glenn is designed with a reusable first-stage booster, similar to SpaceX’s Falcon rockets. The goal is for this booster to land safely on a sea platform after launch. In January, Blue Origin successfully launched New Glenn for the first time, but the booster was lost during landing. A successful launch and landing this time would establish Blue Origin as a serious competitor in deep-space missions, challenging established players like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.
Interestingly, Blue Origin worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to choose this new launch window. Just days ago, the FAA implemented restrictions on commercial rocket launches between 6 AM and 10 PM due to air traffic concerns linked to a government shutdown. Blue Origin appears to have received special permission to proceed with its launch plans despite these regulations.
Expert insights suggest that reusable rockets are becoming the future of space travel. SpaceX has already shown how cost-effective these rockets can be. According to a recent Space Foundation report, the global space economy is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2040, highlighting the increasing interest and investment in commercial space ventures.
If everything goes according to plan, a live webcast of New Glenn’s launch will begin 20 minutes beforehand, giving space enthusiasts a chance to witness this significant event.
Source link
News,Science,Space
