Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket launched for the second time on Thursday, carrying a NASA scientific mission to study Mars amid intensifying competition with Elon Musk's SpaceX.
The powerful rocket, measuring almost 100 metres tall, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, just before 4 p.m. local time (9 p.m. GMT). Onboard were two spacecraft tasked with analysing the Red Planet.
Bezos' Blue Origin company had delayed the Escapade mission twice in recent days due to adverse weather conditions.
While the mission holds significant scientific value, its launch is widely seen as pivotal in the ongoing rivalry between billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
The competitive tension between them has grown further around NASA’s Artemis lunar programme, aimed at returning Americans to the Moon in coming years. In October, NASA hinted at possibly excluding Musk’s SpaceX from the programme due to development delays.
The prospect of sidelining SpaceX has angered Musk and potentially boosted Bezos, whose company, Blue Origin, is also developing a lunar lander for NASA, although its role is planned for a future mission.
In this context, Thursday’s New Glenn launch is under intense scrutiny to gauge the performance of Blue Origin’s flagship rocket.
Following a successful debut launch in January, this second flight aims to demonstrate Blue Origin’s progress, according to George Nield, president of a private space advocacy firm.
If Blue Origin delivers on this mission, it could enhance NASA’s confidence in the company, Nield added.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, significant pressure has been placed on NASA to expedite the Artemis programme, which has faced multiple delays and challenges in recent years.
