Blue Origin has postponed its second attempt to launch the New Glenn rocket on November 9th due to weather and some technical issues. The launch, known as the NG-2 mission, was scheduled from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Initial plans were to launch between 2:45 p.m. and 4:12 p.m. Eastern, but cloud cover and rain caused a delay.

Ultimately, the countdown stopped 4 minutes and 43 seconds before the adjusted launch time, leading to the decision to scrub the launch for the day. "Today’s NG-2 launch is scrubbed due to weather, specifically the cumulus cloud rule," the company stated. "We’re reviewing opportunities for our next launch attempt based on forecasted weather."

In addition to the adverse weather conditions, Blue Origin also reported a technical problem with ground support equipment at the launch pad. The company was also monitoring a cruise ship in a restricted area, but it was expected to move before the potential liftoff.

Blue Origin later announced that the launch was rescheduled for 2:50 p.m. Eastern on November 12th, citing weather and sea state conditions. They collaborated with the Federal Aviation Administration to choose the date. However, this launch time would require a waiver from the FAA's recent order restricting commercial launches to between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time, which started on November 10th. This restriction aims to mitigate the pressure on the National Airspace System due to controllers not reporting to work.

The NG-2 mission follows the first, mostly successful, New Glenn launch (NG-1) in January. During NG-1, the upper stage reached orbit, carrying a demonstration payload, but the first stage failed to land on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The primary payload for NG-2 is NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, which includes two small satellites destined for Mars to study space weather. A secondary payload from Viasat will test communications technologies for NASA’s Communications Services Project while remaining attached to the upper stage. Blue Origin will also attempt to land the first stage on the ship Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean.

Laura Maginnis, vice president of New Glenn mission management at Blue Origin, mentioned during a Nov. 8 briefing, "Our number one objective is to deliver ESCAPADE safely and successfully." She added, "We are also planning, wanting, to land our booster."

“If we don’t land the booster, that’s ok,” she said. “We have several more vehicles in production.”