Mars Mission on Hold: Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Faces Delays

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is currently stationed on a launchpad in Florida, awaiting its next launch attempt. Initially scheduled for Sunday and then Wednesday, both launches were scrubbed, pushing the next attempt to Thursday afternoon.

Mission Overview

• Payload: NASA's ESCAPADE mission, consisting of two spacecraft.
• Objective: Study Mars' magnetic field and atmosphere.

Launch Challenges

• First Delay: Caused by bad weather.
• Second Delay: Triggered by space weather—three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun.
• Two CMEs merged, disrupting Earth's magnetic field.
• A third CME was expected to hit during the spacecraft's departure from Earth's orbit, risking radiation damage to the spacecraft's computers and solar panels.

Technical Details

• New Glenn Rocket:
• Height: 321 feet tall.
• Comparison: Taller than SpaceX's Falcon 9 but shorter than the Starship.
• Booster Landing Attempt: Blue Origin aims to land the rocket's booster on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean, a feat SpaceX has previously achieved.

Despite its impressive size, New Glenn continues to present launch challenges for Blue Origin.