Blue Origin LLC sustained failures in recent weeks of testing including a factory mishap that damaged a portion of a future New Glenn rocket, the long-awaited centerpiece of the Jeff Bezos-backed startup’s push to take on SpaceX.
The upper portion of one rocket crumpled into itself, in part due to worker error, while it was being moved to a storage hangar, according to people familiar with the situation. In a separate incident, another upper rocket portion failed during stress testing and exploded
Neither of these sound like an engine test, which is where the fire would be.
In any case, the chances of making that Mars transfer window are looking slimmer and slimmer… I hope they can pull it off.
I wonder what happens if they miss the window? Would EscaPADE go into storage for two years, or would it be transferred to another launch vehicle at the last minute?
Was there actual fire involved?
Neither of these sound like an engine test, which is where the fire would be.
In any case, the chances of making that Mars transfer window are looking slimmer and slimmer… I hope they can pull it off.
I wonder what happens if they miss the window? Would EscaPADE go into storage for two years, or would it be transferred to another launch vehicle at the last minute?
These damaged stages were for flights 2 and 3, so they don’t necessarily push back 1.
Ah, I missed that, thanks for pointing it out. Glad that the maiden flight is still (hopefully) on track.