🔗 Share this article Blue Origin's Second Rocket Launch Delayed Due to Inclement Atmospheric Situation The aerospace company, owned by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, had to postpone the highly anticipated liftoff of its New Glenn rocket on Sunday because of adverse meteorological factors at Cape Canaveral. Launch Delay Reasons Precipitation and a ground system issue led to initial delays, followed by thick clouds as the narrow time frame for launch closed, leaving managers to push back the vehicle's upcoming flight. Rivalry between Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been intensifying in recent months. Rescheduled Attempt To relieve airspace congestion during the US federal government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration is restricting commercial rocket liftoffs from the beginning of the week. After scrubbing the launch, the company said on Sunday evening that, in coordination with the FAA, it was aiming for another attempt as soon as Wednesday within a time slot of afternoon hours EST. Launch Goals When it eventually launches, the 322-foot New Glenn rocket will transport the US space agency's Escapade twin spacecraft to Mars, in an effort to study the Martian atmospheric past with the long-term goal of sending people there. The mission will also act as a key test of whether it can achieve booster recovery, which would represent a major advancement for the firm if accomplished. Earlier Mission New Glenn’s inaugural flight in the start of the year was considered a success, as its payload achieved orbit and successfully performed tests. But its first-stage booster, which was designed as reusable, failed to make its touchdown on a ocean-based target in the ocean, and instead was lost during descent. Recovery Efforts In its second effort Blue Origin will try once more to recover the first stage. Thus far, only Musk’s company SpaceX has achieved that feat. Industry Competition The competing companies of billionaires Musk and Bezos are locked in a private sector space competition that recently escalated, as the space agency began accepting bids for its planned moon mission, complaining that one company was falling behind schedule. The current administration has involved the administration push NASA to speed up its progress to launch astronauts to the lunar surface in competition against the Asian nation. Increased competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin could “expand our options with regard to launch.” “Additional missions means greater innovation in orbit,” a former NASA chief technologist said. “It isn't a bad thing to have the competitor, even not in the lead.”