Blue Origin's New Glenn Set for Second Launch Carrying NASA's ESCAPADE Mission

Blue Origin is preparing for the second launch of its New Glenn rocket, scheduled for November 9, 2025, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission's primary objective is to deploy NASA's ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration Dynamics Explorers) mission, consisting of two identical spacecraft designed to study Mars' magnetosphere and atmosphere.

The launch window opens at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time and extends until 5:11 p.m. Eastern Time. Blue Origin plans to provide live coverage of the event starting 45 minutes before liftoff.

In addition to deploying the ESCAPADE mission, Blue Origin will attempt to land the New Glenn's first-stage booster on a floating platform named Jacklyn, positioned approximately 375 miles off the Atlantic coast. This follows a previous attempt during New Glenn's inaugural flight in January 2025, where the booster failed to land due to engine re-ignition issues.

The ESCAPADE mission, developed by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, aims to arrive at Mars in September 2027. The twin spacecraft, named Blue and Gold, will spend at least a year orbiting the Red Planet to measure its magnetic field and atmospheric dynamics.

Weather conditions at Cape Canaveral are currently favorable for the launch, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures around 81°F (27°C). However, potential thunderstorms are forecasted around the scheduled launch time, which could impact the launch schedule.

This mission marks a significant step for Blue Origin as it seeks to establish itself as a competitor in the space launch industry, particularly in the realm of reusable rocket technology. The company has stated that achieving orbit remains the primary goal, with booster recovery as an additional objective.