🔗 Share this article Jeff Bezos' Space Firm's Second Mission Delayed Because of Poor Atmospheric Situation Blue Origin, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, had to postpone the highly anticipated launch of its powerful launch vehicle on the weekend due to adverse meteorological conditions at the Florida launch site. Launch Delay Reasons Precipitation and a ground system issue led to early setbacks, then came cumulus cloud cover as the narrow time frame for launch ended, forcing mission controllers to reschedule the rocket’s planned second mission. Rivalry between Bezos' firm and Musk's space company has been intensifying in the past few months. Rescheduled Attempt To relieve airspace congestion amid the US federal government shutdown, the aviation regulator is limiting commercial rocket liftoffs from the beginning of the week. After scrubbing the launch, the company announced late Sunday that, in coordination with the regulatory body, it was targeting another attempt as early as midweek within a window of 2.50pm to 4.17pm EST. Mission Objectives When it eventually launches, the 322-foot New Glenn rocket will transport NASA’s Escapade twin spacecraft to Mars, in an effort to study the planet’s climate history with the eventual hope of human exploration. Blue Origin’s launch will also act as a crucial trial of whether it can achieve reusable rocket landing, which would prove a technical breakthrough for the firm if accomplished. Earlier Mission The rocket's first launch in the start of the year was considered a success, as its cargo achieved orbit and successfully performed tests. But its main rocket section, which was designed as recoverable, did not stick its landing on a ocean-based target in the Atlantic, and instead was lost during descent. Landing Attempts In its second effort Blue Origin will make another attempt to recover the booster stage. Until now, only Musk’s company SpaceX has achieved that feat. Industry Competition The competing companies of billionaires Musk and Bezos are locked in a commercial space race that has grown more intense lately, as the space agency began accepting proposals for its planned moon mission, complaining that SpaceX was falling behind schedule. Donald Trump’s second term has involved the administration push NASA to accelerate its progress to send a crewed mission to the Moon amid a race with China. More rivalry between SpaceX and Blue Origin could “expand our options with regard to liftoff.” “More launches means more ideas in space,” a former NASA chief technologist stated. “It isn't a negative to have the competitor, even trailing behind.”