Blue Origin successfully launches NASA satellites that will study Mars
What's the story
Jeff Bezos's space company, Blue Origin, has successfully launched its New Glenn rocket from Florida. The mission was the first for paying customers and saw two NASA satellites being sent toward Mars. This is a major achievement for Blue Origin as it seeks to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX in the commercial space launch industry.
Mission details
A look at the launch
The New Glenn rocket, a powerful two-stage vehicle, took off after several days of delays caused by cloudy weather and a geomagnetic storm. The launch was broadcasted live by Blue Origin as the rocket rose from its launch pad in a blaze of flames and vapor clouds. About 10 minutes after liftoff, the 17-story-tall first-stage booster successfully landed on an Atlantic Ocean barge named Jacklyn after Bezos's mother.
Payload deployment
Blue Origin's 1st successful payload delivery
About 20 minutes after launch, mission control confirmed that New Glenn's upper stage had successfully deployed the ESCAPADE spacecraft into space. This marked Blue Origin's first successful payload delivery for NASA. The dual spacecraft, dubbed Blue and Gold, are tipped to reach Mars in 2027 and study the planet's space weather environment for 11 months.
Mission objectives
ESCAPADE mission was delayed by a year
The ESCAPADE mission, short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, was originally scheduled for October 2024. The satellites were built by California-based aerospace firm Rocket Lab with instruments from the University of California, Berkeley. They will study how solar winds interact with Mars's weak magnetic field and contribute to its atmospheric depletion.
Upcoming projects
Blue Origin's long road ahead
Blue Origin, which has invested billions in developing the heavy-lift-class New Glenn rocket, also launched a secondary payload from satellite company Viasat. The tech demo was a success. Despite its recent success with New Glenn, Blue Origin still has a long way to go before it can compete with SpaceX's nearly 280 Falcon rocket launches in the last two years.