Bad Weather Delays Blue Origin’s New Glenn Launch of NASA’s Mars Mission

The New Glenn rocket, scheduled to launch at Cape Canaveral, was cancelled by Blue Origin because of the bad weather at its pad in Florida. The ESCAPADE orbiters were sent to orbit the Red Planet by a NASA-led mission. This was only a day before a new FAA daytime launch ban would take place during a US federal shutdown. The next attempt is now set to Wednesday, November 12, by Blue Origin.

Bad weather grounds the launch

According to a Space.com report, on 9 November, heavy cumulus clouds at the launch pad forced Blue Origin to scrub the rocket's liftoff. The 321-foot (98-metre) heavy-lift rocket was to carry NASA's twin ESCAPADE orbiters, but foul weather grounded the vehicle during the 88-minute launch window. A Blue Origin spokeswoman confirmed the launch was halted under strict weather safety rules.

FAA launch ban and NASA's Mars mission

Amid a US federal shutdown, the FAA has banned daytime commercial launches. Blue Origin is working with the FAA for a waiver to use backup dates (10–11 November), but has now booked a launch slot on Wednesday, 12 November. ESCAPADE is NASA's first mission to Mars in over five years. The twin ESCAPADE satellites, built by Rocket Lab on a budget under $80 million, will study how solar wind and space weather have stripped away much of Mars's atmosphere. New Glenn, a 321-foot heavy-lift rocket, is on its second flight, and Blue Origin plans to recover its first stage for reuse.