Blue Origin New Glenn NG-2: NASA ESCAPADE Mars Mission Delayed to Nov 12

Space Launch

Blue Origin New Glenn NG-2 Rescheduled

NASA ESCAPADE Mars Mission delayed to November 12, 2025

Blue Origin postponed the second launch of New Glenn on November 9, 2025, due to adverse weather, with the next window on Wednesday, November 12, 2:50–4:17 PM ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission carries NASA’s ESCAPADE twin spacecraft to study Mars’ space environment and atmospheric escape processes, supported by range coordination for the afternoon launch timing under current FAA constraints.

⏰ Rescheduled Launch Window

📅 Target Date

Wednesday
November 12

🕐 Launch Time

2:50 PM – 4:17 PM ET

📍 Launch Site

LC‑36, Cape Canaveral

🎥 Webcast

Begins T‑20 minutes

New Glenn on the pad at night before NG-2 attempt — New Glenn at LC‑36 ahead of the rescheduled NG‑2 window; weather and range coordination set the afternoon timing.

Weather Delay and Launch Scrub

The November 9 countdown was halted 4 minutes 43 seconds before liftoff due to cumulus cloud rule violations under Lightning Launch Commit Criteria, with Blue Origin noting review of next opportunities based on forecasted weather.

Ground support equipment issues were noted, and a cruise ship briefly entered restricted waters; range clearance and technical readiness were managed for the next attempt.

Government Shutdown and FAA Order Context

The FAA Emergency Order effective November 10 limits commercial launch operations to 10 p.m.–6 a.m. local time, while Blue Origin coordinated with the FAA and range to proceed with a daytime Mars‑window launch on November 12.

Mission Timeline

January 16, 2025

First Flight

New Glenn NG‑1 Debut

New Glenn reached orbit with the Blue Ring prototype payload; the first‑stage booster was lost during descent, while the upper stage completed its demonstration profile.

November 9, 2025

Launch Scrub

NG‑2 Launch Postponed

Countdown halted under weather rules; Blue Origin set a new attempt after reviewing forecasts and sea‑state constraints for recovery.

November 12, 2025

Next Attempt

NG‑2 Rescheduled Window

Window 2:50–4:17 PM ET; booster landing attempt on Jacklyn in the Atlantic; upper stage to send ESCAPADE on its interplanetary trajectory.

2027

Science Phase

ESCAPADE Mars Orbit

Twin spacecraft begin coordinated observations of the magnetosphere and ionosphere to characterize atmospheric escape at Mars.

New Glenn Rocket Specifications

322 ft

Total Height

BE‑4 Engines (Stage 1)

BE‑3U Engines (Stage 2)

25 Flights

Booster Design Life

550k lbf

Per BE‑4 at Sea Level

Named for John Glenn

First American to Orbit Earth

New Glenn’s first stage uses seven BE‑4 LOX‑methane engines and the second stage uses two BE‑3U vacuum engines, enabling heavy‑lift performance for deep‑space payloads.

Mission Payloads

NASA ESCAPADE

Primary Payload — Mars Science

Full Name

Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers

Configuration

Twin small satellites on Rocket Lab platform, nicknamed Blue and Gold

Program

NASA SIMPLEx (Heliophysics)

Goals

Measure solar wind interactions, magnetotail dynamics, and atmospheric escape

Managed By

UC Berkeley

Viasat InRange Demo

Secondary Payload — Communications

Purpose

Demonstrate commercial relay of launch/ascent telemetry

Program

NASA Communications Services Project (CSP)

Partner

Viasat — Blue Origin partnership

Launch Obstacles and Operational Context

Weather Constraints

Cumulus cloud rule violation enforced the scrub under lightning criteria, with afternoon timing re‑evaluated for range safety.

Technical Readiness

Ground support equipment issues were noted at the pad; status tracked for readiness in the next attempt.

FAA Emergency Order

Order in effect limits launch hours; coordination enabled a daytime Mars window for NG‑2.

Booster Recovery

First stage was lost on NG‑1 descent; NG‑2 targets recovery on Jacklyn several hundred miles downrange.

Mars Window Constraints

Orbital mechanics constrain launch timing; delays compress available opportunities.

Competitive Benchmarks

Context against reusable operations by incumbents aligns focus on reliability and cadence.

“Our number one objective is to deliver ESCAPADE safely and successfully. We also plan to land our booster.”

— Laura Maginnis, VP, New Glenn Mission Management

Official Mission Links

Official updates: Blue Origin NG‑2 page, vehicle details: New Glenn overview, mission science: NASA ESCAPADE, FAA order: Emergency Order, telemetry demo: Viasat release.

What Happens Next

The NG‑2 launch is scheduled within a 2:50–4:17 PM ET window on November 12 from LC‑36, carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE and a Viasat telemetry demo, with a first‑stage landing attempt on Jacklyn downrange.

Coverage included the delay, the revised window, the rocket specifications, payload descriptions, FAA context, and related references for follow‑up.