Blue Origin delayed Sunday’s New Glenn launch after rain and a ground-systems fault, followed by cumulus cloud cover that closed the 88-minute window. The company, coordinating with the FAA, is targeting Wednesday between 2:50 p.m. and 4:17 p.m. EDT (1950–2117 GMT) for another attempt. The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE twin spacecraft toward Mars and will again attempt first-stage booster recovery — a capability only SpaceX has routinely demonstrated so far. Industry experts say the flight will be an important measure of Blue Origin’s progress amid growing commercial space competition.
Blue Origin Scrubs New Glenn Launch After Weather and Ground Issues — Booster Recovery Test Delayed
Blue Origin delayed Sunday’s New Glenn launch after rain and a ground-systems fault, followed by cumulus cloud cover that closed the 88-minute window. The company, coordinating with the FAA, is targeting Wednesday between 2:50 p.m. and 4:17 p.m. EDT (1950–2117 GMT) for another attempt. The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE twin spacecraft toward Mars and will again attempt first-stage booster recovery — a capability only SpaceX has routinely demonstrated so far. Industry experts say the flight will be an important measure of Blue Origin’s progress amid growing commercial space competition.
11:48 AM, 11/10/2025Technology
Blue Origin postpones New Glenn launch after weather and ground-system issues
Blue Origin, the space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, postponed Sunday’s scheduled launch of its New Glenn rocket after rain and a problem with ground support equipment delayed operations. As cumulus cloud cover moved in, the 88-minute launch window closed and managers had no choice but to scrub the attempt.
In a statement late Sunday, Blue Origin said it was coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aiming for another attempt as soon as Wednesday within the 2:50 p.m. to 4:17 p.m. EDT window (1950–2117 GMT).
What’s on board and why it matters
The 322-foot (98-meter) New Glenn is slated to carry NASA’s ESCAPADE twin spacecraft toward Mars. The twin probes are designed to study the Red Planet’s climate history and help inform longer-term plans for human exploration.
Beyond the science payload, this mission serves as a critical test of Blue Origin’s ability to recover New Glenn’s first-stage booster. A successful recovery would be a major technical milestone for the company; to date, SpaceX is the only company to routinely recover and reuse orbital rocket boosters.
Background and industry context
New Glenn’s maiden flight in January was widely described as a success after its payload reached orbit and completed planned tests. However, the first-stage booster failed to land on its ocean platform and was lost during descent. Blue Origin will attempt a recovery again on this flight.
The delayed launch comes amid intensifying competition between Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, heightened in part by NASA’s recent procurement activity for lunar missions. Industry observers say the outcome of New Glenn’s next launch will be an important indicator of Blue Origin’s technical progress and competitiveness.
Industry voices: George Nield, a senior aerospace executive involved in promoting commercial space, said the upcoming flight "will be an indicator of how well they're doing and how much progress they've made." Mason Peck, former NASA chief technologist, added that increased competition could be positive: "More launches means more ideas in space."
Separately, the FAA has announced restrictions on commercial rocket launches to reduce airspace congestion during a U.S. federal government shutdown, effective Monday. That constraint could affect scheduling and logistics for commercial launches in the near term.
Next steps: Blue Origin and the FAA will continue to monitor weather and ground systems and announce a firm launch time if conditions allow. The company remains focused on both the ESCAPADE science mission and the critical booster recovery test.