Blue Origin's New Glenn Launches NASA's EscaPADE Satellites, Recovers Booster

Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday afternoon, successfully deploying NASA's twin EscaPADE satellites on a mission to study Mars' atmosphere and marking the company's first recovery of the rocket's reusable booster.

The liftoff occurred at 3:55 p.m. ET after several days of delays caused by cloudy weather and a severe geomagnetic storm from heightened solar activity. The storm raised concerns about potential interference with the spacecraft's electronics, prompting NASA to postpone an earlier attempt. Clear skies finally allowed the 321-foot-tall rocket to ascend on a plume of fire from its seven BE-4 engines, generating 3.8 million pounds of thrust.

This flight represented the second for New Glenn since its inaugural test in January, which reached orbit but ended with the booster's failed recovery attempt. On Thursday, about 10 minutes after launch, the first-stage booster separated from the upper stage and executed a controlled descent, reigniting three engines for a braking burn. It then touched down upright on the deck of Blue Origin's recovery barge, Jacklyn, positioned 375 miles offshore in the Atlantic...