The second New Glenn rolls to the launch pad—and they expect to recover this one

On Wednesday morning, Blue Origin moved the first stage of its colossal New Glenn rocket from its hangar in Florida, marking the start of the final preparations for its second launch. The space company shared footage of the rollout to Launch Complex-36 but did not specify a target date for the mission, which aims to deploy two identical spacecraft, known as ESCAPADE, designed to investigate solar wind at Mars. Sources have indicated that Blue Origin is tentatively eyeing a launch window between November 9 and November 11, contingent on the success of essential pre-launch activities, including a static fire test of the first stage. The company has significant expectations riding on this particular booster, aptly named "Never Tell Me The Odds," as it seeks to recover and reuse it. Despite the booster’s name, Blue Origin is reportedly optimistic about its chances for a successful landing on a drone ship named Jacklyn, with internal estimates suggesting a 75% likelihood of success. However, this optimism may appear somewhat optimistic externally. During its initial flight in January, the first stage was unfortunately lost, despite successfully delivering its payload to orbit. Blue Origin has been relatively tight-lipped regarding the propulsion issues that contributed to the failure of the first stage, which never approached the drone ship. It is evident that the company faced challenges in testing critical flight control elements and stabilizing the rocket for landing. Ensuring the software functions flawlessly is essential for executing the intricate landing maneuver successfully.