Blue Origin Launches new Glenn Rocket on NASA’s Mars Exploration Mission
Cape Canaveral, FL – November 14, 2024 – Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket Thursday, november 13th, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE mission – two probes destined to study the Martian magnetosphere and atmosphere. The launch, initially delayed from November 9th and then November 12th due to weather and high solar activity, experienced a final, brief hold just 20 seconds before liftoff, but ultimately proceeded as planned.
the ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission will deploy two identical probes into orbit around Mars to investigate the interactions between the planet’s magnetic field and solar wind. NASA aims to gain a deeper understanding of how mars lost its atmosphere over billions of years, a key factor in its transition from a potentially habitable world to the cold, arid planet it is indeed today.
New Glenn, standing over 98 meters tall, represents a significant advancement in reusable rocket technology. The rocket’s first stage successfully returned to Earth, landing on a designated platform - a feat previously accomplished only by SpaceX. Blue Origin anticipates New Glenn will be capable of at least 25 flights, significantly reducing the cost of space access.
The rocket can deliver up to 45 tons of payload to low Earth orbit and 13 tons to transfer orbit. Notably, New Glenn utilizes cleaner fuels: liquid hydrogen for the upper stage and liquid hydrogen and liquefied natural gas for the first stage. This accomplished launch follows a first successful flight in January of this year, marking a major milestone for Jeff Bezos’ company, which has been developing New Glenn since 2013.
Sources: X, Blue Origin, euronews, Space24.
