🔗 Share this article Jeff Bezos' Space Firm's Latest Rocket Launch Delayed Because of Inclement Weather Conditions The aerospace company, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, had to postpone the highly anticipated liftoff of its powerful launch vehicle on Sunday because of unfavorable weather conditions at the Florida launch site. Launch Delay Causes Rainfall and a ground system issue led to initial delays, then came cumulus cloud cover as the 88-minute launch window ended, forcing mission controllers to reschedule the rocket’s planned second mission. Competition between Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been intensifying in recent months. New Launch Window To ease traffic in the skies amid the government funding gap, the aviation regulator is limiting commercial rocket liftoffs starting Monday. After scrubbing the launch, Blue Origin announced late Sunday that, in coordination with the FAA, it was targeting another attempt as soon as Wednesday within a window of 2.50pm to 4.17pm EST. Launch Goals When it eventually launches, the 98-meter tall launch vehicle will carry the US space agency's Escapade twin spacecraft to Mars, to examine the Martian atmospheric past with the long-term goal of human exploration. Blue Origin’s launch will also act as a crucial trial of whether it can achieve booster recovery, which would prove a major advancement for the company if successful. Previous Flight The rocket's first launch in January was marked as a success, as its cargo achieved orbit and completed tests. But its main rocket section, which was designed as recoverable, did not stick its touchdown on a ocean-based target in the ocean, and instead was lost during descent. Landing Attempts In its second effort Blue Origin will try once more to recover the first stage. Until now, only SpaceX has managed that feat. Space Race Rival firms of billionaires Bezos and Musk are locked in a commercial space race that has grown more intense lately, as the space agency began accepting proposals for its planned moon mission, noting that one company was falling behind schedule. The current administration has involved the administration pile pressure on NASA to accelerate its timeline to launch astronauts to the Moon amid a race with China. More rivalry between SpaceX and Blue Origin could “give us more choices with regard to liftoff.” “Additional missions means greater innovation in orbit,” a former NASA chief technologist stated. “It isn't a negative to have the competitor, even trailing behind.”