Blue Origin, the space exploration company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, had to abort a long-anticipated return to flight mission just minutes before launch this week. The abort highlighted some important safety precautions for space-focused companies that prioritize safety measures over speed and convenience.
Before the launch was scrubbed, Blue Origin had used a large automated payload fairing before a New Shepard launch vehicle ascent. The New Shepard rocket and astronaut capsule had already been lifted off the ground in anticipation of the flight and the payload fairing, which is a large covering that protects payloads to the upper atmosphere, had been placed on the launch pad prior to liftoff.
The launch was scrubbed just minutes before it was set to launch due to an issue with the automated payload fairing. Blue Origin declared an onboard fault likely caused by the payload fairing and declared the safety emergency. Due to the safety risk raised by the potential for a malfunctioning part, Blue Origin decided to play it safe and abort the mission.
Blue Origin had been hoping to use the mission to complete a series of tests and return to flight activity after over a year of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission was the latest in Blue Origin’s New Shepard series, a suborbital rocket that takes passengers on flights to the fringes of space for minutes at a time.
The failed launch is a reminder of the importance of continued safety assessments, regular maintenance, and care to any space launches. Unlike more traditional transportation systems, the stakes for space exploration are high and one mistake could put passengers, crew and even our planet at risk.
Blue Origin has yet to announce when the launch will be rescheduled. However, what it has made clear is that they remain committed to ensuring the safety of their passengers above all else. Until then, passengers, and aerospace enthusiasts alike, will have to wait for Blue Origin’s return to flight mission to take to the stars.
