Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket seen on Launch Complex 36 shortly before the launch attempt was scrubbed at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. (Picture credit: AP)
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin delayed the inaugural launch of its massive
New Glenn rocket
early Monday due to unresolved technical issues. The 320-foot rocket, named after astronaut John Glenn, was poised for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station before the countdown was halted just minutes before launch.
As per Reuters, mission teams faced “anomalies” in a vehicle subsystem, prompting the decision to stand down from the scheduled launch. “We’re troubleshooting a vehicle subsystem issue that will take us beyond our launch window,” Blue Origin stated. The delay may last longer than 24 hours as engineers assess the problem.
Blue Origin’s CEO Dave Limp had shared excitement about the mission on social media, calling it a critical moment for the company’s future in the competitive
satellite launch market
dominated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Despite delays, Blue Origin aims to compete with SpaceX by showcasing New Glenn’s capabilities, including its partially reusable design and ability to carry heavier payloads than SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
A critical test will involve landing the booster on a drone ship named “Jacklyn,” stationed over 600 miles into the Atlantic.
Bezos monitored the countdown from Mission Control near Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center, reinforcing his commitment to the venture 25 years after founding Blue Origin. “No matter what happens, we’re going to pick ourselves up and keep going,” Bezos said.
The mission also holds strategic significance for Blue Origin, which has secured contracts for Nasa’s Mars probe launches and aims to deploy Amazon’s
Project Kuiper
satellite internet constellation.
While SpaceX remains the dominant force in orbital launches, Blue Origin’s cautious development pace could offer valuable “
dissimilar redundancy
” for government missions, providing backup if a primary system fails, noted space policy analyst Scott Pace.
Blue Origin has yet to announce a new launch date for New Glenn as troubleshooting continues.
I’m Manas Ranjan Sahoo: Founder of “Webtirety Software”. I’m a Full-time Software Professional and an aspiring entrepreneur, dedicated to growing this platform as large as possible. I love to Write Blogs on Software, Mobile applications, Web Technology, eCommerce, SEO, and about My experience with Life.
