After a rare lull in launch activities from the Cape, business will be picking up this week. SpaceX is planning to launch Starlink 12-7 from Space Launch Complex later this afternoon, and Wednesday evening, the company plans to launch the SpainSat NG I mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Both of the company’s flights will be aboard Falcon 9.
Starlink 12-7
Date: NET January 27, 2025
Organization: SpaceX
Mission: Starlink 12-7
Rocket: Falcon 9
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch Window: 3:22 – 6:21 PM EST
Payload: Starlink satellites
Destination: Low-Earth Orbit
Falcon 9 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites lifts off from SLC-40 in 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Weather
Trajectory
Southeastward, or left to right if you are facing the ocean in Titusville.
SpainSat NG-1
Date: NET January 29, 2025
Organization: SpaceX
Mission: SpainSat NG-1
Rocket: Falcon 9
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Launch Window: 8:34 – 10:34 PM EST
Payload: Two government-owned telecommunications satellites for the Spanish government and their designees.
Destination: MEO
Falcon 9 lifts off. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Weather
The 45th Weather Squadron has not released a Mission Execution forecast for this launch at the time of this writing.
Trajectory
As always, keep in mind that launch dates and times are subject to cancellations, moves and time shifts.
Maj. David Reifenberg, combat rescue officer drop zone controller, 308th Rescue Squadron, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, free falls from a Joint Base Charleston C-17 Globemaster III, while Senoir Master Sgt. George Reed, paraescueman, 308 RQS prepares to jump, during a Human Space Flight Support airdop search and rescue exercise Jan 15, 2025, Patrick SFB, Fla. A joint task force of the 204th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickum, Hawaii, and 315th Airlift Wing, JB Charleston, South Carolina, trained on HSFS to retrieve astronauts from open-ocean waters upon returning to Earth. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Della Creech)
A combined team of Guardsmen and Reservists tackled air, sea, and space operations during Human Space Flight Support (HSFS) training, focused on astronaut recovery through search and rescue operations, held from Jan. 14-17 at Patrick Space Force Base in Florida. The end goal was to prepare a greater roster of SARS personnel for an increasing number of crewed missions.
The training brought together Air National Guardsmen from the 204th Airlift Squadron based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, with Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and the 308th Rescue Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base. This joint effort aimed to refine the airdrop techniques required to recover astronauts safely from open-ocean splashdowns following space missions.
Staff Sgt. Nainoa Lehua, Human Space Flight Support airdrop loadmaster, 204th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and Chief Master Sgt. Drew Cheek, HSFS airdrop evaluating loadmaster, 701st Airlift Squadron, prepare to airdrop Mark-25 flares during HSFS airdrop search and rescue training Jan 16, 2025, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Della Creech)
Expanding Need
“The space industry has seen tremendous growth since 2020, when Joint Base Hickam first took on this mission,” explained Maj. Ryan Schieber, Human Space Flight Support lead planner for the 315th Operations Support Squadron. “With the rise in SpaceX launches, Boeing Starliner missions, and the upcoming Artemis program in 2026, this training is more critical than ever.”
As the space sector grows, astronaut recovery missions have increased to at least three or four annually, with the promise of an even higher cadence of crewed missions. This uptick prompted the 204th Airlift Squadron to form a joint task force with the 308th Rescue Squadron under the 920th Rescue Wing. The 920th RW, the only Air Force Reserve Command wing dedicated to combat search and rescue, collaborates with the 315th AW to certify aircrews for HSFS airdrops.
Expanding The Roster Of Qualified Rescue Airmen
“Our goal is to certify the Charleston Reserve pilots, loadmasters, and aircrew for this mission,” said Master Sgt. Makaio Roberts, deputy program manager for the 204th AS HSFS team. “They’re vital partners alongside the 308th Rescue Squadron as we support NASA, SpaceX, Boeing, and the Artemis missions with launches and recoveries.”
In 2025, the 315th AW officially partnered with the 204th AS to gain HSFS airdrop certification. These training exercises enhance efficiency and preparedness for the multi-capable Airmen who participate.
About The Training
“This training involves realistic offshore airdrops of personnel and equipment, simulating the recovery of isolated individuals in maritime environments,” said Capt. Nicolas Walsh, a combat rescue officer and drop zone controller with the 308th RQS.
During 7.5 hours of flight time, the joint task force completed 10 airdrops, including 30 pararescuemen jumps in challenging winter seas. Despite the limited timeframe, the experienced aircrews and maintenance teams made the most of the opportunity, ensuring high levels of readiness.
“The equipment we drop and the rescue qualifications we practice are essential to ensuring astronauts can be safely recovered during splashdowns,” Roberts emphasized. “This training directly supports real-world launches and recoveries for the HSFS program.”
Participating in HSFS training provides C-17 aircrews with a unique mission experience, broadening their operational skill set. Working alongside the 204th AS and 308th RQS helps develop Airmen into versatile, mission-ready professionals.
“This mission is distinct for the C-17,” Schieber said. “It exposes the aircrews to a specialized rescue airdrop role, enhancing their readiness for future challenges.”
As the pace of space exploration accelerates, the demand for search and rescue operations is expected to grow, a challenge the joint task force is ready to meet. “Space travel is increasing, and we’re prepared to respond,” Schieber added.
Starlink 13-1 lifts off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center on January 21, 2024. Photo: SpaceX
SpaceX launched Falcon 9 carrying 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit Tuesday morning from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was at 12:24 AM EST under cloudy skies and relatively cool weather.
Around eight minutes and a half minutes after lifting off, Booster B1083 completed its 8th mission when it touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, which was stationed offshore downrange. Previously, B1083 had flown Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, CRS-31, Astranis: From One to Many, and three Starlink missions, all successfully. ASOG and B1083 will now return to Port Canaveral for offloading and preparation for B1083’s next flight.
The second stage continued to orbit during the booster’s landing sequence and at 1:33 AM EST, SpaceX confirmed the deployment of the payload:
Individual Starlink satellites are part of Starlink constellation, which provides broadband-level Internet access all over the world, especially in remote areas. Currently, there are roughly 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. When each satellite reaches its end-of-life, it is deorbited by SpaceX in order to prevent any accumulation of space debris from the system.
A real-time graphic representation of Starlink satellites in orbit provided by satellite.space.
Launch Replay
Spaceflight Now archives launch coverage on their YouTube channel. Here is last night’s coverage.
Next Launch
Another Falcon 9 / Starlink launch is scheduled for Friday, January 24th.
Date: NET January 24, 2025
Organization: SpaceX
Mission: Starlink 10-12
Rocket: Falcon 9
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
As expected, the FAA is requiring an investigation into Blue Origin’s New Glenn’s first stage failure during its descent towards an attempted landing in the Atlantic Ocean:
While it is unlikely that any property or persons were placed in danger by the failure event, this is a normal requirement for any launch failure by a commercial launch provider that is not operating under a NASA or DoD launch license.
Regarding the investigation, Blue Origin stated, “We’re working closely with the FAA and submitted our initial findings within 24 hours. Our goal is to fly New Glenn again this spring. Our mission was a success – our lone objective was to reach orbit while noting that landing our booster, “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance,” hundreds of miles offshore would be a bonus.”
FAA Responsibilities
The FAA requires all commercial spaceflight operators to comply with regulations outlined in 14 CFR Part 450, which governs the licensing and operational requirements for launch and reentry activities. A failure during a launch triggers immediate protocols, including mandatory reporting to the FAA. Operators must notify the FAA within 24 hours of a mishap, defined as any event resulting in fatalities, serious injuries, or significant property damage. Incidents involving public safety, such as debris landing in unauthorized areas, also require immediate reporting.
The FAA oversees the mishap investigation process, ensuring operators adhere to safety and procedural requirements. The investigation team, often led by the operator and monitored by the FAA, examines the root causes of the failure. Detailed reports, including telemetry data, video evidence, and witness statements, must be submitted to the FAA for review. The agency may impose corrective actions or additional safety requirements to prevent similar incidents.
Additionally, the FAA ensures compliance with insurance and financial responsibility requirements under 51 U.S.C. § 50914. This includes compensation for third-party damages resulting from launch failures. Given that the failure was over the Atlantic Ocean, this is unlikely to apply to the case of the Blue Origin first stage failure.
Space X’s Starship (L) and Blue Origin’s New Glenn (R) both had success ful launches but faced challenges during Thursday’s flight tests. Images: Richard P Gallagher / FMN and Blue Origin
Yesterday proved to be an emotional roller coaster for private space exploration. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX achieved notable successes tempered by huge challenges during their respective rocket launches from Florida and Texas. Keeping in mind that both launches were considered test flights, it’s fair to say that both companies have a lot to celebrate and also a lot to work on to perfect their respective flight systems.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn
Blue Origin celebrated a major achievement as its New Glenn rocket, named after the pioneering astronaut John Glenn, successfully reached orbit during its debut flight. Launched from Launch Complex 36 at 2:03 AM EST from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the mission was Blue Origin’s first to orbit, a critical step for the company as it joins the competition for government and commercial customers.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn debut launch lifts off from Cape Canaveral on January 16, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
“We hit our key, critical, number-one objective, we got to orbit safely,” announced Blue Origin VP Ariane Cornell during a company livestream, signifying the mission’s primary goal had been met. However, the joy was somewhat muted as the booster, named “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance,” failed to land on the recovery vessel “Jacklyn” in the Atlantic Ocean.
“We may very well have lost the booster,” a company commentator acknowledged as telemetry and video froze during descent on New Glenn’s first stage. That assessment proved to be true, and the booster, nicknamed “So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance” was lost.
Dave Limp, Blue Origin CEO Photo: Amazon.com
Blue Origin has not officially named a specific failure that led to the booster’s loss, but launch viewers noted that a loss of one of the seven BE-4 engines seemed to occur moments before the telemetry from the vehicle caused the live feed to be lost permanently.
Despite this setback, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp emphasized learning from the anomalies yesterday, stating, “We knew landing our booster … on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring.”
Despite the loss of the booster, the launch of New Glenn and its successfully orbiting its payload. represents Blue Origin’s entry into the orbital launch market, and could change the current dynamics the launch services market, which is currently dominated by SpaceX.
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7
Later on Thursday, in Boca Chica, Texas, SpaceX conducted the seventh test flight of its Starship.
The test was a mix of triumph and failure — the Super Heavy booster flew nominally, and successfully returned to its launch site, where it was caught by the “chopsticks” of the launch tower.
The catch brings SpaceX to a 2-1 record on catch attempts following a successful return during the company’s IFT-5 mission and aborted attempt during IFT-6 with the booster being directed to land offshore.
Later in the flight, things were not quite so rosy. After a successfully staging, igniting its engines and flying nominally for a time, there was a sudden failure with a total loss of the data.
SpaceX commentators were measured as they noted the loss of telemetry and finally the loss of the vehicle. At no point did they speculate past the information they had on hand, and they delivered the bad news when they had it.
Later, Elon Musk was offered an explanation of events on X: “Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity,” he said.
“Apart from obviously double-checking for leaks, we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area. Nothing so far suggests pushing next launch past next month.”
That launch may be delayed longer than Musk or SpaceX would like.
As a result of the failure, the FAA diverted air traffic from the area for a short time following the mishap and the re-entry of debris was clearly visible in the Turks and Caicos, a British Overseas Department southwest of The Bahamas. There are reports of debris landing in
Industry experts believe the breakup will likely trigger another FAA safety investigation with the Starship vehicle being grounded while it is conducted, potentially delaying future launches of Starship until a mishap report with acceptable remediations is submitted. That is standard procedure for experimental flight.
SpaceX's Starship Breaks Up In Space After Launch, Forces Flights To DivertA SpaceX Starship prototype failed in space minutes after launching from Texas, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course. pic.twitter.com/SM8JfUIGCp
Blue Origin’s failure was within the formal area of exclusion for the vehicle during its flight and subsequent landing zone, so it is possible that the FAA may waive an investigation.
In the case of SpaceX, with debris overflying a populated area and with the FAA temporarily requiring airlines to reroute their flights to avoid Starship debris. While SpaceX’s vehicle may also have failed within its designated flight corridor, those factors may lead to a required mishap investigation, or it may not.
How this will affect the Artemis Project — Starship is planned to be used as the Human Landing System for lunar excursions is unknown at this time.
Talk of Titusville has reached out to the FAA asking if they will require a formal investigation for either or both flights. We will pass along that information when it is made available.
Despite the booster’s failure to land, Blue Origin’s successful orbit with New Glenn was deemed a success and that has opened new avenues for future missions, including NASA’s ESCAPADE to Mars and Amazon’s Kuiper constellation. According to Blue Origin, that next flight could come late in Q1 or in early Q2 of 2025.
As for SpaceX, the partial success with the Starship Flight 7 test flight was a good news/bad news situation. The company recovered Stage 1 with aplomb but it is clear that improvements will be required for the Starship vehicle prior to flying again.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rises off of the launch pad on its debut flight on January 16, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
In a milestone for space exploration and commercial spaceflight, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 36 at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday. The historic maiden flight marked a significant step forward for the company, as it positions itself as a key player in the rapidly growing space industry.
At 2:03 a.m. EST, the 320-foot-tall New Glenn finally roared to life after two holds and was propelled by seven Blue Origin BE-4 engines fueled by liquid oxygen and methane.
Spectators crowded the beaches and riverfront to witness the spectacle, as the rocket ascended gracefully into a cloudy sky obscuring a nearly full moon.
After cheering wildly as New Glenn ascended Space Coast residents were pleased they witnessed another chapter in the area’s storied history of space exploration. “It’s inspiring to see this level of innovation happening here,” said Sandra Lyons, an engineer who watched the launch from the beach near Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral. “Every mission brings us closer to a future where space travel becomes routine,” she said. “It’s good that there are now several companies that can provide launch services for the country.”
The Cape Canaveral beaches were crowded with spectators gathered to watch the launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn debut launch.
After staging, the second stage — often a point of failure for debut flights — ignited as planned and continued the ascent of the rocket and payload. The second stage is in its final orbit following two successful burns of the BE-3U engines. The payload, Blue Origin’s Blue Ring Pathfinder is receiving data and performing well.
In its stated criteria for success, Blue Origin achieved a rare feat: a successful first flight that achieved its primary goal of reaching orbit. Unfortunately, the secondary goal of landing the New Glenn first stage was unsuccessful. Blue Origin has yet to state the reason(s) the first stage did not land at sea as the company had hoped, but undoubtedly, the company gathered data and will have lessons learned not only from the failure of the recovery of the booster but also the flight itself of the entire system.
Statements From Blue Origin’s Leadership
“I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt,” said Dave Limp, CEO, Blue Origin. “We knew landing our booster, So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance, on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone.”
“Today marks a new era for Blue Origin and for commercial space,” said Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President, New Glenn. “We’re focused on ramping our launch cadence and manufacturing rates. My heartfelt thanks to everyone at Blue Origin for the tremendous amount of work in making today’s success possible, and to our customers and the space community for their continuous support. We felt that immensely today.”
Blue skies Over Florida: New Glenn rising into the night on a pillar of blue fire. Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN
A SpaceX Falcon 9 roared off the launch pad at 1:11 AM EST this morning from Kennedy Space Center carrying two lunar landers into orbit and on their way to the moon.
SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center on January 15, 2025.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The second stage and lunar landers achieved their initial orbits at seven minutes and forty-nine seconds into the flight, and that orbit was modified fifty-eight minutes and twenty-four seconds later by a relatively long one minute and one second second burn by the second stage prior to payload deployment.
Around eight minutes and twenty seconds after lifting off, Booster B1085 completed its 5th mission when it touched down safely on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, which was stationed offshore downrange. JRTI and B1085 will now return to Port Canaveral for offloading and preparation for B1085’s next flight.
At 2:18 AM EST, SpaceX confirmed the deployment of the Firefly Blue Ghost Lander:
Blue Ghost will begin a roughly 45-day journey to the Moon, where it will land on Mare Crisium. It will then conduct numerous experiments for NASA and the Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface in this decade.
At 2:45 AM, SpaceX confirmed the successful deployment of the iSpace HAKUTO-R lander:
“We have established communication with the RESILIENCE lander, and have stabilized its attitude and power supply,” said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder & CEO of ispace. “We will make full use of the knowledge and experience gained in Mission 1 to prepare for the first orbit control maneuver scheduled in the near future. While the lander carries 6 payloads including the TENACIOUS micro rover, no deficiencies in the lander’s core system have been identified.”
The deployment of HAKUTO-R concluded the customer portion of SpaceX’s flight.
Payloads
Firefly Blue Ghost Lunar Lander
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is designed to deliver a suite of scientific instruments and commercial payloads to the Moon’s surface. Developed under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Blue Ghost aims to demonstrate innovative technologies while advancing lunar science.
Joining Blue Ghost is the Hakuto-R lunar lander, developed by iSpace, a Japanese company dedicated to expanding humanity’s presence on the Moon. Hakuto-R is part of iSpace’s bold vision to establish a lunar economy through cargo delivery services and resource utilization.
Artist’s rendering of HAKUTO ‘Resilience’ on the lunar surface. Credit: iSpace
Key objectives for Hakuto-R include:
Demonstrating landing and operational capabilities on the lunar surface.
Delivering payloads for commercial customers.
Advancing technologies to enable sustainable lunar operations.
Payloads
On board the RESILIENCE lunar lander will be commercial customer payloads including:
· Water electrolyzer equipment: From Takasago Thermal Engineering Co.
· Food production experiment: A self-contained module from Euglena Co.
· Deep space radiation probe: Developed by the Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan
· Commemorative alloy plate: Developed by Bandai Namco Research Institute, Inc. and modeled after “Charter of the Universal Century” from the animation Mobile Suit Gundam UC
· TENACIOUS micro rover: Developed by ispace-EUROPE, this rover will explore the landing site, collect lunar regolith, and relay data back to the lander. It will be equipped with a forward-mounted HD camera and a shovel.
· Moonhouse: A model house by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg that will be mounted on the rover.
The RESILIENCE lander will serve as a cultural artifact, carrying a UNESCO memory disk that preserves linguistic and cultural diversity.
For more details about Hakuto-R and iSpace’s ambitions, visit their official website.
iSpace infographic on the key milestones for the HAKUTO MISSION 2 ‘Resilience’ lander. Click the graphic to enlarge. Credit: iSpace
What’s Next?
iSpace announced today that mission operations specialists in the HAKUTO-R Mission Control Center in Nihonbashi, Tokyo have established a communication link with the RESILIENCE lunar lander and confirmed a stable attitude as well as stable generation of electrical power in orbit.
iSpace provided this chart illustrating the progress of the mission early this morning:
HAKUTO-R ‘RESILIENCE’ mission status as of 7:01 AM EDT on January 15. 2025
From Firefly, the Blue Ghost lander next steps are
Transit: Blue Ghost will spend approximately 45 days in transit to the Moon, including about 25 days in Earth orbit, 4 days in lunar transit, and 16 days in lunar orbit.
Descent: Blue Ghost’s final autonomous descent will take approximately an hour, starting with a Descent Orbit Insertion burn that will place Blue Ghost on its descent trajectory.
Surface Operations: Upon touchdown, Blue Ghost will operate 10 NASA instruments for a complete lunar day (about 14 Earth days).
Total Eclipse:Just before lunar night, Blue Ghost will capture HD imagery of a total eclipse from the Moon where the Earth blocks the sun.
Lunar Night: At the end of the mission, Blue Ghost will capture the lunar sunset before operating several hours into the lunar night.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
Blue Origin plans to make a second attempt to launch its New Glenn rocket on its debut mission
Date: NET January 16, 2025
Organization: Blue Origin
Mission: NG-1
Rocket: New Glenn
Launch Site: LC-36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch Window: 01:00 – 04:00 EST (0600-0900 UTC)
Payload: Blue Ring Pathfinder
Note: this article was prepared using information and text from iSpace and Firefly Aerospace.
SpaceX returns to action tonight as it plans to launch a Falcon 9 carrying two uncrewed lunar landers as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) program. The 44-minute launch window opens at 1:11 AM EST.
SpaceX rolled Falcon 9 to its launch pad at LC-39A Tuesday morning. Photo: Richard Gallagher / Florida Media Now
Tonight’s Falcon 9 Booster is B1085, which will be flying for the fifth time. After providing the initial boost for the payload, B1085 plans to touchdown on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, which is positioned downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.
Weather is predicted to be 90% GO during the launch window.
The 45the Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45’s Launch Mission Execution Forecast for January 15 and 16. Retrieved 12:00 PM 01/14/2024
The trajectory is typical for missions to cislunar space:
Payloads
Firefly Blue Ghost Lunar Lander
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is designed to deliver a suite of scientific instruments and commercial payloads to the Moon’s surface. Developed under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Blue Ghost aims to demonstrate innovative technologies while advancing lunar science.
Joining Blue Ghost is the Hakuto-R lunar lander, developed by iSpace, a Japanese company dedicated to expanding humanity’s presence on the Moon. Hakuto-R is part of iSpace’s bold vision to establish a lunar economy through cargo delivery services and resource utilization.
Artist’s rendering of HAKUTO ‘Resilience’ on the lunar surface. Credit: iSpace
Key objectives for Hakuto-R include:
Demonstrating landing and operational capabilities on the lunar surface.
Delivering payloads for commercial customers.
Advancing technologies to enable sustainable lunar operations.
For more details about Hakuto-R and iSpace’s ambitions, visit their official website.
iSpace infographic on the key milestones for the HAKUTO MISSION 2 ‘Resilience’ lander. Click the graphic to enlarge. Credit: iSpace
New Glenn stood like a beacon in the night, with excess propellant being burned off as the vehicle stood on LC-36 on January 13, 2025 Photo: Charles Boyer, ToT
Blue Origin’s initial attempt to launch their 320-foot New Glenn for the first time did not go as planned this morning, as technical issues repeatedly forced pushbacks in the planned T-0 time, and finally resulted in a scrub for the morning as engineers were forced to call a scrub towards the end of the launch window.
Blue Origin has not announced the next New Glenn launch attempt, which remains upright at the Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket and its payload is safe and a new attempt may come as soon as overnight tonight, or in two days after SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Mission 1 & Hakuto-R M2 “Resilience” mission from LC-39A early Wednesday morning.
Jetty Park Pier was filled with hundreds of spectators awaiting New Glenn’s maiden launch. Photo: Charles Boyer / TotJetty Park Pier, looking towards the beach. Photo: Charles Boyer / Tot
Blue Origin has not officially announced the reasons behind the scrub, but seemingly informed rumors of an APU (Auxillary Power Unit) operating outside of its specifications were echoing up and down the beaches as spectators waited for the launch.
Weather Is A Concern For Tuesday Morning
One aspect of Blue Origin’s decision whether or not to try launching New Glenn may come down to weather: the 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 has posted a new forecast this morning that is somewhat pessimistic:
The 45th Weather Squadron released this forecast on Monday January 13th at around 3AM after Blue Origin officially scrubbed the New Glenn launch attempt. Retrieved January 13, 2025 0900
Overcast skies, rain showers and higher than acceptable winds are forecast for the Space Coast overnight, causing the 45th to predict only a 30% chance of the range being within acceptable weather conditions.
Given the fact that New Glenn has not yet flown, that it takes a long time to fuel (around five hours) to fuel and that the weather may not be very cooperative this evening, it would be no surprise if Blue Origin demurs from an attempt this evening, choosing to wait another two days until the weather turns in their favor. That would also afford Blue Origin’s engineers to further assess the data from last night’s launch attempt in order to find a path forward to launch.
This Is Not Unusual, Nor Is It Any Surprise
Before a rocket actually flies, there are tens of thousands of limits and parameters that the designers of the vehicle decide on, with all of those decisions related to best industry practices, theoretical limits, and experimental observations. While testing or simulations can provide some insight and process improvements, one thing they cannot provide is real-world data based on actual performance observed as the new rocket attempts to go to space.
Heat distortion gave a shimmery view of New Glenn as the sun set on January 12. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
That said, decision makers and engineers tend towards erring on the side of caution before flying. It makes good common sense to do so, and conservative decision making in these matters has shown to lead to the best outcomes, especially in an all-up testing scenario like New Glenn’s first flight.
“It is better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than it is to be in the air wishing you were on the ground fixing a problem.”
Old Aviation Maxim
Tomorrow is another day, and it is a chance to eliminate any problems you know about.
That said, despite the frustrations of space aficionados and launch spectators, playing it safe with a flying can of high-explosives is always the right choice. Fly when you are ready and never before, and that’s just what Blue Origin did this morning.
In a long expected move, documents showing that SpaceX is planning to shift operations away from Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral’s Space Force Station’s old LC-13 to an area just east of the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 have been filed.
A recently released Master Drainage Plan Modification plat shows the location of the new landing zone for Falcon 9 landings.
LZ-1 and LZ-2 (as they are colloquially known in the spaceflight community) are on the site of the former Launch Complex 13 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
LC-13 was constructed in 1956 used for test launches and operational Atlas launches from 1958 to 1978, when it was shuttered. The Mobile Service Tower was demolished by a controlled explosion in 2005 for safety reasons, and the blockhouse there was demolished in 2012.
A person standing in the middle of the main landing pad at LZ-1 shows its size. Photo: SpaceX
LC-13 was originally used for operational and test launches of the Atlas ICBM, and Atlas B, D, E and F missiles were also test launched from there. It was the most-used and longest-serving of the original four Atlas pads.
April 1956 – LC-13 construction started
14 April 1958 – Air Force accepted the launch complex
2 August 1958 – First of two Atlas B launches
14 April 1959 – 11 March 1960 – Thirteen Atlas D launches
15 February 1960 – Atlas Able exploded during static firing
11 October 1960 – 13 February 1962 – Fourteen Atlas E launches
10 November 1961 – Monkey “Goliath” launched on Atlas E; mission failed
9 August 1961 – One Atlas F launched
1962-1963 – Pad converted into an Atlas Agena D complex for space launches. The A-frame Mobile Service Tower was demolished and a new larger, square-shaped structure was built.
17 October 1963 – 20 July 1965 – Three VELA launches (two satellites each)
5 November 1964 – NASA Mariner 3 mission launched by an Atlas Agena
1966 – Launch complex turned over to NASA for civilian Atlas Agena D launches
6 November 1966 – 4 March 1968 – Six NASA Atlas Agena D launched; five Lunar Orbiter and one Orbiting Geophysical Observatory E
March 1968 – Returned to Air Force
6 August 1968 – 7 April 1978 – Eleven classified Atlas Agena D launches for the Air Force
7 April 1978 – Launch complex deactivated after the last launch. Supported 51 Atlas and Atlas Agena launches
6 August 2005 – Mobile Service Tower came down by a controlled explosion
June 2012 – Blockhouse demolished
February 2015 – Site leased by SpaceX to be used as a landing platform for the Falcon9 1st stage
Site renamed Landing Zone One (LZ-1)
21 December 2015 B1019 touched down during Falcon 9 flight 20
6 February 2018 Two booster touch down at LZ-1 and LZ-2 during Falcon Heavy Flight Test
Atlas Agena D with Mariner 3 on the launchpad, at Cape Canaveral’s LC-13 Photo: NASAAugust 2005 – Mobile Service Tower was demolished by a controlled explosion at LC-13 US Air Force ID050809-F-0000X-012SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster B1019 touched down at LZ-1 during flight 20 to become the first successfully returned orbital booster. Photo: SpaceXTwo booster touch down at LZ-1 and LZ-2 during Falcon Heavy Flight Test on 6 February 2018. Photo: SpaceX
LC-13’s Future
In 2023, the 2-pad launch site has been allocated to Cocoa, Florida based Vaya Space and also Phantom Space through the Department of the Air Force’s Launch Pad Allocation Strategy (LPAS), a program designed to support the commercial space market and demand at the Eastern Range.
At the time, Kevin Lowdermilk, CEO of Vaya Space said, “We are proud to be selected as one of the four companies in the first round of the Launch Pad Allocation Strategy by the Space Force and we truly appreciate their support of commercial space launch. We are pleased to call SLC-13 home.”
Rendering of the Vaya Dauntless rocket. Graphic: Vaya Space
“Launching from SLC-13 gives Vaya Space a long-term home on the Eastern Range to support our customers’ launch needs,” added Rob Fabian, COO of Vaya Space. “We’re looking forward to many launches from there alongside our friends from Phantom Space. It’s encouraging to see a new generation of commercial space launch vehicles rise up in the footprints of the old Atlas launch vehicles the site was built to launch.”
Vaya is producing the Dauntless rocket, which is propelled by solid rocket fuel. That fuel is produced from 99% recycled post-industrial thermoplastic, and the Dauntless rocket will utilize more than 7.8 metric tons per launch. Vaya states that the spent fuel exhaust will safely break it down into non-toxic byproducts.
Timing
At this point in time, the dates for the approval, construction and eventual move of SpaceX landing operations to the new landing pad are not known.
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