NASA delays ESCAPADE Mars launch on Blue Origin's giant New Glenn rocket to 2025 to avoid potential cost overruns

[Admin]

The ESCAPADE Mars mission, previously scheduled to launch atop a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket on Oct. 13, will now lift off in spring 2025 at the earliest.

NASA delays ESCAPADE Mars launch on Blue Origin's giant New Glenn rocket to 2025 to avoid potential cost overruns : Read more

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Frankly, this seems like a needed bit of breathing space for New Glenn to get ready.

I am guessing that the new early 2025 launch date for the Mars mission is based on the delta V that the New Glenn could give this particular payload, so that "optimal trajectory" is not needed, and the launch of another(?) New Glenn is needed for certification processes.

Still hoping all goes well for both launches. But, November still seems pretty soon for a completely new vehicle that just had one of its tanks accidentally crushed and has not gone through any of the fueling rehearsals and static firing drills.