Blue Origin launched its large New Glenn rocket Thursday, carrying two NASA spacecraft headed for Mars. It was only the rocket’s second flight. Jeff Bezos’ company and NASA are depending on it to transport people and supplies to the moon.
Blue Origin Sends NASA’s ESCAPADE Orbiters to Mars
The 321-foot (98-meter) New Glenn soared into the afternoon sky from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, starting a long journey to the red planet for NASA’s twin Mars orbiters. Liftoff delayed for four days due to bad local weather and solar storms that created auroras as far south as Florida.
In a significant first, Blue Origin successfully recovered the booster after it detached from the upper stage and the Mars orbiters. This step is crucial for reusing parts and cutting costs, similar to what SpaceX has done. Company staff celebrated as the booster landed upright on a barge 375 miles (600 kilometers) offshore. An excited Bezos watched from Launch Control.
Second Flight Success
“Next stop, moon!” employees chanted after the successful booster landing. New Glenn’s first test flight in January delivered a prototype satellite to orbit but failed to land the booster on its floating platform in the Atlantic.
The twin Mars orbiters are named Escapade. They will spend a year near Earth, positioning themselves 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away. When Earth and Mars aligned next fall, the pair use Earth’s gravity to reach the red planet, arriving in 2027.
Read also: Noida man give reality check to Rs 1.5 crore flat, by hammer pencil in wall