Blue Origin has postponed its second attempt to launch the New Glenn rocket, a 30-story vehicle founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000. Originally scheduled for early Monday, the launch was canceled as engineers addressed a technical issue. After several hours without updates, Blue Origin announced that it would not proceed with the intended overnight launch attempt and has now rescheduled for no earlier than Thursday, January 16, with a three-hour launch window from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. ET.
The company initially cited the need for troubleshooting after engineers encountered what they described as “anomalies.” Later, they specified that the issue was related to ice forming in a purge line on an auxiliary power unit that serves some hydraulic systems of the rocket. This detail was more substantial than the information provided during the webcast of the initial launch attempt, where only the term “anomalies” was used.
A successful inaugural flight of New Glenn is essential for Blue Origin as it aims to collect valuable data and establish a foothold in the competitive global launch industry, challenging the dominance of SpaceX in satellite launches.
Interestingly, this setback occurs during a busy week in space exploration, as SpaceX prepares to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two lunar landers and aims for a test flight of its Starship rocket.
In summary, while the postponement of the New Glenn launch is disappointing, it highlights the importance of safety and thorough troubleshooting in aerospace engineering. As Blue Origin works to resolve its technical challenges, the resilience of space exploration continues to shine through as companies like SpaceX are also gearing up for significant missions this week. This atmosphere of intense competition and innovation underscores the exciting advancements in the field of space travel.