Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket and its NASA payload bound for Mars now have a provisional launch schedule in place. The corporation announced on Friday that its inaugural flight would take place no earlier than October 13, transporting personnel to aid NASA in researching the effects of solar wind on Mars’ atmosphere. For its maiden flight, New Glenn will take to the skies, coinciding with a rare opportunity to launch a mission to Mars, which arises approximately every two years due to planetary alignments. The launch interval commences on September 29 and runs through to mid-October, as stated.
The mission will launch from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA’s Escapade mission will begin preparing its dual spacecraft for integration with the launch vehicle on August 19, marking a crucial step in the journey towards understanding plasma acceleration dynamics.
The pressure is mounting on Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, to successfully launch its New Glenn rocket. According to a report published on Wednesday, Blue Origin’s manufacturing facility recently experienced two consecutive failures, causing damage to hardware intended for its forthcoming second and third New Glenn launches. Despite initial delays, the project remains on track for its highly anticipated debut in 2023.
