Blue Origin’s highly anticipated New Glenn rocket, standing tall at 320 feet (98 meters) on the launch pad, has encountered another delay in its inaugural flight. Originally scheduled for liftoff on January 13, 2025, the launch was called off shortly after the three-hour launch window began at 1 a.m. EST due to a technical issue.
The aerospace company, led by founder Jeff Bezos, announced via X that the decision to stand down was made to troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue. Although the specific problem was not initially disclosed, Blue Origin later confirmed that the scrub was due to “ice forming in a purge line on an auxiliary power unit that powers some of our hydraulic systems.”
Following this announcement, Blue Origin initially targeted a new launch attempt for January 14, but that was subsequently postponed to January 16 during the same three-hour window. This series of delays is not new for New Glenn; the debut launch, called NG-1, has faced multiple setbacks including a previous reschedule due to rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean, where the rocket’s first stage is set to land on a recovery ship named Jacklyn, in tribute to Bezos’ mother.
The New Glenn rocket, which has been in development for nearly a decade, signifies Blue Origin’s entry into the realm of heavy-lift rockets, complementing their existing suborbital vehicle, New Shepard. NG-1’s test flight will carry a prototype of the company’s new spacecraft platform, Blue Ring.
As Blue Origin works to resolve the issues and prepare for the launch, the space community remains optimistic. The innovative design and reusability of New Glenn could pave the way for a new era in space exploration and satellite deployment.
In conclusion, while the delays are disappointing, they underscore the rigorous safety and technical standards that Blue Origin is committed to maintaining. With the launch window extended to January 16, the excitement surrounding New Glenn’s potential impact on the space industry continues to grow.