Blue Origin’s highly anticipated New Glenn rocket will have to wait a little longer before its first launch. Originally scheduled to fly two spacecraft to Mars for NASA in October 2024, the mission has been postponed to spring 2025 due to potential cost and technical issues with de-fueling the satellites. Instead, Blue Origin will now launch its own technology in November.
The decision to delay the launch comes as no surprise considering the risks involved in the first flight of a new rocket. Blue Origin’s CEO, Dave Limp, acknowledged that there is still much work to be done before New Glenn is ready for launch. Recent reports from Bloomberg revealed major testing failures of New Glenn hardware, further suggesting that the original time frame was ambitious.
While the exact transit time to Mars with the new launch window is still unclear, the October launch would have seen the spacecraft arrive in Mars’ orbit in early September 2025. However, NASA did not respond to inquiries regarding the revised transit time.
The November launch of New Glenn will carry Blue Ring technology and serve as the first certification flight under the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. Blue Origin needs to complete two successful New Glenn missions before it can start launching national security payloads under NSSL.
The decision to delay the mission was influenced by the risks associated with fueling the two spacecraft. The hypergolic propellants used by the spacecraft, which were built by Rocket Lab, are highly toxic. Fueling and de-fueling the spacecraft introduces additional risks and challenges that need to be carefully managed. Removing fuel from the spacecraft in the event of a launch delay could lead to significant cost, schedule, and technical challenges.
Christophe Mandy, the lead systems engineer for the ESCAPADE mission at Rocket Lab, emphasized the risks involved in fueling and de-fueling the spacecraft. The process of cleaning and preparing the spacecraft for launch after de-fueling introduces various forms of risk that need to be mitigated.
Overall, the decision to postpone the launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to spring 2025 is a prudent one. The risks associated with de-fueling the spacecraft and the ambitious timeline for launch necessitated a reassessment. By prioritizing safety and addressing technical challenges, Blue Origin can ensure a successful and smooth first launch of New Glenn. This delay also provides an opportunity for further testing and improvements to enhance the rocket’s performance and reliability.
While the postponement may disappoint those eagerly awaiting the launch, it is a reminder of the complexities and risks involved in space exploration. The world will have to wait a little longer to witness the debut of this remarkable rocket, but the delay ultimately serves to ensure a safer and more successful mission to Mars.