Insider Brief
- Blue Origin delayed the inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket with T-6 minutes to liftoff. The countdown faced multiple extensions as ground teams in Florida worked to resolve the issue.
- The company cited “vehicle subsystem issue” as the cause for the postponement.
- Blue Origin has not announced a new date for the launch but stated that they are reviewing future opportunities.
Blue Origin delayed the inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket, scheduled for 08:15 GMT (03:15 EST) on January 13. The decision came just six minutes before liftoff, citing a “vehicle subsystem issue” as the cause for the postponement.
The countdown faced multiple extensions—initially set at 10 minutes, then extended to 35 minutes—as ground teams in Florida worked to resolve the issue. Ultimately, the team opted to stand down. Blue Origin has not announced a new date for the launch but stated that they are reviewing future opportunities.
New Glenn, named after astronaut John Glenn, represents a pivotal milestone for the company. It aims to deliver its first orbital mission and demonstrate reusable booster technology. Similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, New Glenn’s booster is designed to detach during flight and land on a platform in the Atlantic for reuse. SpaceX has successfully demonstrated similar maneuvers with its Starship program, most recently in October.
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