Blue Origin’s New Glenn Mars Launch Postponed Due to Solar Storms
Blue Origin’s second New Glenn rocket launch has been postponed once more, this time due to severe geomagnetic storms caused by solar activity. The colossal 321-foot rocket was slated to transport NASA’s ESCAPADE spacecraft to Mars from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 36 on Wednesday, November 12.
The company had previously cancelled a Sunday launch attempt due to a combination of weather concerns, launchpad equipment issues, and an errant cruise ship in the flight path. The current delay is a result of the same solar activity that has been producing breathtaking aurora displays across North America this week.
This mission is of paramount importance for Jeff Bezos’ space company, as it signifies their first commercial payload delivery. It also presents an opportunity to successfully land and reuse the New Glenn booster – a feat they failed to accomplish during January’s inaugural flight when the booster exploded before landing. NASA’s twin ESCAPADE orbiters are designed to study how solar wind has stripped Mars of much of its atmosphere.
Source: TechCrunch