Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket launch was called off due to technical problems, delaying its entry into the competitive space market.
The rocket was all set to launch at 1 a.m. ET, but they had to pull the plug. Ariane Cornell, the VP of in-space systems, mentioned they needed to troubleshoot a vehicle sub-system issue. They didn’t give a new launch date, which leaves everyone hanging a bit.
This New Glenn rocket is a heavy-lift vehicle meant to eventually help with NASA’s moon lander. Blue Origin was hoping it would help them gain some ground against SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets. They’ve been working on this for a while, and it’s a key part of their plans.
Cornell said they’ll need to drain the rocket of its fuel before figuring out the next steps. They had just started filling it with liquid methane, hydrogen, and oxygen the night before. It’s a process, for sure.
The New Glenn was also supposed to do some cool stuff, like land a booster on a ship in the ocean for reuse. Plus, it was going to carry a prototype spacecraft that can refuel and transport satellites. That’s pretty ambitious!
They’ve had to push back the launch date several times already due to bad sea conditions. It’s not unusual for first launches to face delays and technical hiccups.
Cornell emphasized the importance of sustainability in their long-term vision. They want to protect the planet while advancing space technologies. The methane engines they’re using are better for the environment than traditional ones, but they still have their challenges.
Since Bezos started Blue Origin back in 2000, the company has seen a lot of changes and has launched its New Shepard spacecraft for space tourism. Meanwhile, SpaceX has been racking up launches left and right.
It’s a competitive field, and with other companies like Virgin Galactic also making moves, it’ll be interesting to see what happens next.
