Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket to debut this October with NASA Mars launch

[Admin]

The inaugural flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, which will send NASA's two-satellite ESCAPADE mission toward Mars, will launch no earlier than Oct. 13.

Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket to debut this October with NASA Mars launch : Read more

 

[Miles777]

It seems quite odd to me that NASA is launching a scientific mission to Mars on the inagural flight of a brand new rocket from a company that has never ever even put a single satellite into orbit. Is this a throw-away NASA mission? Or is a desperation move to avoid using SpaceX at any cost?

I sure hope I am greatly suprised that the first flight of such a complex and powerful rocket is completely successful, as I'd hate to see the ~$100,0000,000 of taxpayer dollars that NASA has invested in this project consumed by flames.

 

[penguin44]

It seems quite odd to me that NASA is launching a scientific mission to Mars on the inagural flight of a brand new rocket from a company that has never ever even put a single satellite into orbit. Is this a throw-away NASA mission? Or is a desperation move to avoid using SpaceX at any cost?

I sure hope I am greatly suprised that the first flight of such a complex and powerful rocket is completely successful, as I'd hate to see the ~$100,0000,000 of taxpayer dollars that NASA has invested in this project consumed by flames.

Well first it's not nasa but SSL but supported by NASA. Second the mission to launch 2 sats for NASA is 79.8 million. Not a billion like you stated. These are 2 sats and only weigh 400lbs total. They are only about 2-3ft big.

 

[ChrisA]

It seems quite odd to me that NASA is launching a scientific mission to Mars on the inagural flight of a brand new rocket from a company that has never ever even put a single satellite into orbit. Is this a throw-away NASA mission? Or is a desperation move to avoid using SpaceX at any cost?

I sure hope I am greatly suprised that the first flight of such a complex and powerful rocket is completely successful, as I'd hate to see the ~$100,0000,000 of taxpayer dollars that NASA has invested in this project consumed by flames.

It is a gamble. They could have placed a block of concrete on top to simulate a real spacecraft or did like SpaceX and put a sports car in there. But then they would be 100% certain of wasting the money the rocket costs. Instead, they are placing a couple of cheap real payloads in the rocket. It fails, the loss is not much more than a failed empty rocket. This is not a $4B rover they are putting at risk.

I think this is a reasonable gamble with a possible high payoff and a contained risk if it fails.