Cape Canaveral: Blue Origin achieved a major milestone on Thursday with the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket on a mission carrying two NASA spacecraft to Mars. The flight marked the companys first major science mission for the space agency and a significant step forward in its plans to compete in the heavy lift launch market.
The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida carrying NASAs twin ESCAPADE satellites. The small spacecraft will study how the solar wind affects the Martian atmosphere and magnetic field. They will remain in an Earth orbit for some time before beginning their long journey toward Mars in 2027.
The launch was also notable for another reason. For the first time Blue Origin managed to land the New Glenn first stage on an ocean platform after it separated from the upper stage. The booster touched down on the companys recovery barge named Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean. This successful landing brings Blue Origin closer to its goal of regularly reusing the rocket to reduce launch costs.
The mission had faced several delays due to weather and solar activity in the days leading up to the launch. A previous attempt had been cancelled because of a strong solar storm while another was postponed because of poor weather conditions.
New Glenn has been in development for years and had its first flight earlier this year. That mission reached orbit but the booster did not land successfully. Thursdays operation showed progress in the companys push for reliability and reusability.
The ESCAPADE mission is part of NASAs effort to send smaller affordable spacecraft to study planets in the solar system. The total cost of the mission is far lower than most Mars projects and Blue Origins launch contract was valued at about 18 million dollars.
The company now aims to increase its launch schedule and win more commercial and government contracts. Space industry analysts say Blue Origin still has work to do to match the frequency and experience of competitors but the latest success gives the company new momentum.
More New Glenn flights are planned in the coming year as Blue Origin works to prove that the rocket can operate regularly and return its boosters safely after each trip.