Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has postponed its second attempt to launch the New Glenn rocket, originally scheduled for early Monday. The decision comes as engineers need additional time to resolve a technical issue with the 30-story vehicle.
After a lengthy silence of about 16 hours, Blue Origin announced via social media that it might retry the launch during a three-hour window that opens at 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday. However, just hours later, the company reversed this plan, stating that the New Glenn launch would be rescheduled to no earlier than Thursday, January 16, maintaining the same early morning launch window.
The company’s decision to delay was not detailed immediately, but concerns about adverse weather conditions at the launch site were noted. Earlier, Blue Origin had warned that the poor weather forecast could jeopardize the launch window.
In its announcement, Blue Origin provided a clearer understanding of the previous scrub, stating that it was due to ice formation in a purge line associated with an auxiliary power unit crucial for powering hydraulic systems. This specific issue was previously referred to simply as “anomalies” during the initial webcast, underscoring the complexities engineers faced as they aimed for a successful launch.
A successful inaugural flight of New Glenn is key for Blue Origin, which aspires to accumulate ample data to compete in the global satellite launch market, an area currently dominated by SpaceX. The week ahead is significant for spaceflight, with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled to carry two lunar landers, following closely on the heels of Blue Origin’s planned New Glenn launch.
The postponement underscores the challenges that come with advancing technology in aerospace, but it also highlights Blue Origin’s commitment to ensuring safety and effectiveness over hurried launches. As space exploration evolves, each launch provides valuable learning opportunities, paving the way for future successes in the industry.