🔗 Share this article Blue Origin's Second Rocket Launch Delayed Because of Inclement Weather Conditions The aerospace company, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, had to postpone the eagerly awaited launch of its powerful launch vehicle on Sunday due to unfavorable meteorological factors at the Florida launch site. Launch Delay Reasons Rainfall and a technical problem on the ground led to early setbacks, then came cumulus cloud cover as the 88-minute launch window closed, leaving managers to push back the rocket’s planned second mission. Rivalry between Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been intensifying in recent months. Rescheduled Attempt To ease airspace congestion during the US federal government shutdown, the aviation regulator is limiting commercial rocket liftoffs starting the beginning of the week. Following the cancellation of the launch, Blue Origin said on Sunday evening that, working alongside the regulatory body, it was targeting another attempt as soon as Wednesday within a time slot of afternoon hours Eastern Standard time. Launch Goals When it eventually launches, the 322-foot New Glenn rocket will transport the US space agency's Escapade twin spacecraft to the Red Planet, in an effort to study the Martian atmospheric past with the eventual hope of human exploration. Blue Origin’s launch will also serve as a crucial trial of whether it can achieve booster recovery, which would prove a technical breakthrough for the firm if successful. Earlier Mission New Glenn’s inaugural flight in the start of the year was marked as a achievement, as its payload reached space and completed tests. But its main rocket section, which was meant to be reusable, did not stick its landing on a ocean-based target in the ocean, and instead was lost during descent. Landing Attempts In its second effort the launch provider will try once more to recover the first stage. Until now, only SpaceX has managed that feat. Industry Competition The competing companies of tycoons Bezos and Musk are engaged in a commercial space race that recently escalated, as NASA opened up bids for its planned moon mission, complaining that SpaceX was falling behind schedule. The current administration has involved the administration push NASA to speed up its progress to send a crewed mission to the lunar surface in competition against China. Increased competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin could “expand our options with regard to liftoff.” “Additional missions means more ideas in space,” an ex-agency official said. “It isn't a negative to have Blue Origin, even trailing behind.”