As the countdown progressed, Blue Origin faced delays in the liftoff time for its New Glenn rocket, edging closer to the end of the launch window set for 4 am. A spokeswoman, speaking during a live feed from the company, mentioned that mission teams were investigating “a few anomalies.” The company issued a statement indicating the decision to stand down on the day’s launch attempt due to a vehicle subsystem issue that required troubleshooting, extending beyond the designated launch window. Blue Origin expressed that they are evaluating options for the next launch attempt.
The delay is anticipated to be at least 24 hours, with the possibility of lasting longer as the company conducts a thorough examination of the issue at hand for this high-risk, high-stakes mission. Representing the culmination of a decade-long, multi-billion-dollar development journey, the forthcoming flight, whenever it occurs, will involve an endeavor to land New Glenn’s first stage booster on a sea-faring barge in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 10 minutes post-liftoff, while the rocket’s second stage proceeds towards orbit.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who established Blue Origin in 2000, expressed concerns during a pre-launch interview, particularly emphasizing apprehensions about the booster landing. He acknowledged the inherent unpredictability of a first flight, underscoring the potential for anomalies at any phase of the mission.
Contained within New Glenn’s payload bay is the initial prototype of Blue Origin’s Blue Ring vehicle, a maneuverable spacecraft intended for sale to both the Pentagon and commercial clients for national security operations and satellite servicing missions. Achieving the objective of positioning the spacecraft in its intended orbit during the maiden rocket launch would represent a notable milestone for the space company.
Bezos articulated aspirations for success in accomplishing this feat, highlighting the landing of the booster as a desirable outcome. The development process of New Glenn has encountered various hurdles, spanning three different CEOs at Blue Origin, amid the backdrop of Elon Musk’s SpaceX evolving into a dominant force within the space industry, propelled by its reusable Falcon 9 rocket, recognized as the world’s most active.
In late 2023, Bezos made strategic moves to accelerate progress at Blue Origin, prioritizing the advancement of New Glenn and its BE-4 engines. Dave Limp, a seasoned Amazon executive, was appointed as CEO, with reports indicating his introduction of a heightened sense of urgency within the company to compete effectively with SpaceX. New Glenn stands out as a launch vehicle more than twice as potent as SpaceX’s Falcon 9, boasting an array of customer launch contracts collectively valued in the billions of dollars.
