Blue Origin Postpones Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Rocket Launch

This morning’s much-anticipated launch of Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket was abruptly called off just six minutes before its scheduled liftoff at 08:15 GMT (03:15 EST). The postponement, attributed to a “vehicle subsystem issue,” has left the team at Blue Origin reassessing their plans for the rocket’s first orbital flight.

The delay caused confusion among observers, as countdowns that initially indicated a 10-minute window were repeatedly extended to 35 minutes. On-site teams in Florida worked frantically to address the issue, but time ultimately ran out. Blue Origin has not yet announced a new launch date, stating only that they will evaluate upcoming opportunities for another attempt.

New Glenn, named after John Glenn—the first American to orbit Earth—marks a significant milestone for Blue Origin. Once launched, the rocket is designed to have its booster detach and land on a platform in the Atlantic, enabling its reuse. This maneuver, already achieved by Elon Musk’s Starship program in October 2024, represents a pivotal moment in the commercial space race.

Following the postponement, a Blue Origin spokeswoman explained during a livestream that the delay was necessary to allow the team more time to resolve the subsystem issue. She assured viewers that once a new launch opportunity is identified, the company will provide updates.

In the interim, the launch team will begin detanking the vehicle and evaluating additional tasks that can be accomplished during the downtime. These assessments will determine the timeline for the next launch attempt.

While the delay is a setback for Blue Origin, the mission remains a critical step for the company as it seeks to match milestones achieved by competitors in the rapidly evolving space industry.

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