Blue Origin has delayed the second mission of its New Glenn rocket, originally intended to carry two NASA probes as the opening leg of their trip to Mars during Sunday's afternoon hours. The robust launch system was due to depart from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time, yet several pauses interrupted the short launch period of under two hours owing to unfavorable atmospheric conditions. The firm ultimately halted the proceedings just past 4:13 p.m.
Details on the following attempt remain unspecified. Blue Origin had earlier secured an alternate slot for Monday afternoon, though the FAA has introduced a provisional restriction on commercial rocket operations linked to the federal government closure. Effective November 10, these activities are confined to the overnight window from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. During Sunday's update, Blue Origin noted it was evaluating possible slots with regard to meteorological factors, making no reference to the FAA's measure.
The New Glenn initiative has endured substantial setbacks across the prior ten years since its debut announcement, culminating in its initial ascent early this year. The vehicle's primary booster is built for repeated use, and the organization aims to reclaim it post-mission through a descent onto the independently operated barge vessel called Jacklyn. Blue Origin pursued this retrieval approach in the rocket's debut mission but did not succeed.
The New Glenn carries a pair of satellites assembled by Rocket Lab and overseen by UC Berkeley as part of NASA's Escapade initiative, focused on analyzing space weather influences. The duo will trace a novel route toward the Martian surface, circulating in a leisurely, 12-month path shaped like a kidney bean encircling Earth pending favorable orbital alignment with Mars, in line with UC Berkeley's description. The Escapade effort is expected to touch down on Mars during 2027.