Blue Origin reschedules Mars satellite launch after geomagnetic storm subsides
New Glenn rocket set to carry NASA's EscaPADE satellites after solar activity delays.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, carrying two NASA satellites designed to study space weather on Mars, is back on track for launch this week after delays caused by a geomagnetic storm and cloudy skies. The launch window at Cape Canaveral is scheduled for Thursday, just before 3 p.m. (2000 GMT).
The twin EscaPADE satellites, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, will orbit Mars in tandem to analyze how charged solar particles interact with the planet's magnetic field and contribute to atmospheric loss.
EscaPADE satellites to study Mars' magnetic field
The mission marks Blue Origin's first major science launch for a paying customer and its first New Glenn flight since the rocket's inaugural launch in January. Previous attempts were postponed due to heavy cloud cover and a severe solar storm that disrupted satellite and radio communications.
Meanwhile, the geomagnetic storm caused vivid aurora displays across parts of the United States, with green and pink Northern Lights visible unusually far south, from Texas to Florida. The storm has now subsided, clearing the way for the Mars-bound launch.
