Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin postponed the planned second flight of its flagship New Glenn rocket on Sunday. This mission is considered a critical test for the company as it seeks to challenge SpaceX.

The rocket was originally scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, but after multiple delays, Blue Origin canceled the launch due to "weather conditions and unspecified ground equipment issues." This mission marks New Glenn's first NASA assignment, aiming to deploy two spacecraft—built by Rocket Lab Corp.—into Mars-bound orbit.

It remains unclear when Blue Origin will attempt this highly anticipated second flight following New Glenn's successful maiden launch in January. The company stated in a social media post on X that it is "evaluating a new launch window."

The delay comes amid a U.S. government shutdown, which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue emergency restrictions last week on commercial flights and space launches. These restrictions prohibit commercial launches and returns during New Glenn's originally scheduled backup launch window.

Laura Maginnis, Blue Origin's Vice President of Mission Management, said during a Saturday press briefing that the company is "working closely with the FAA and NASA on potential policy exemptions to advance the mission."

New Glenn is central to Blue Origin's ambitious space exploration plans, but its development has faced repeated delays, with longer-than-expected gaps between flights. CEO Dave Limp stated in January that the company initially planned a second launch by late spring and aimed for 6 to 8 total flights in 2025.

A successful launch would bolster Blue Origin's ability to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the rocket industry. Currently, SpaceX's Falcon 9 is the world's most frequently launched rocket.

**About Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket** After this launch, Blue Origin plans to land the rocket's booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. Similar to SpaceX's Falcon rockets, New Glenn features partial reusability, with its booster designed for refurbishment and multiple launches.

During its maiden flight in January, New Glenn successfully reached orbit but failed to land the booster as planned. While Blue Origin has previously sent tourists to the edge of space using smaller rockets, New Glenn enables orbital and deep-space deployments—a capability critical for clearing its $10 billion backlog of customer contracts.

These contracts include NASA's Artemis V mission to send astronauts to the Moon. New Glenn belongs to a new generation of rockets, alongside United Launch Alliance's Vulcan and the European Space Agency's Ariane 6. While these rockets are seen as potential industry disruptors, all face challenges in increasing orbital launch frequency.