Blue Origin postpones debut launch of New Glenn rocket due to technical issues

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, called off the highly anticipated inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket early Monday. The 98-metre rocket was scheduled to lift off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying a prototype satellite.

An unspecified rocket issue halted the countdown just minutes before liftoff. The team immediately began draining the rocket’s fuel after pausing the countdown.

Earlier launch attempts were postponed due to rough seas, complicating plans to recover the first-stage booster on a floating Atlantic platform.

Blue Origin has not announced a new launch date, stating more time is needed to address the issue.

The rocket was named for John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. At 98 metres, it is five times taller than New Shepard, Blue Origin’s suborbital rocket used for space tourism. This represents a significant milestone for the company in entering the heavy-lift orbital launch market.

Jeff Bezos, who participated in the countdown from Mission Control near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, emphasised resilience, stating: “We’re going to pick ourselves up and keep going.”

This setback underscores the challenges of space exploration as Blue Origin continues its quest to expand its presence in the commercial space industry.