Jeff Bezos' rocket venture, Blue Origin, has set a date as early as October 13 for the inaugural mission of the New Glenn rocket, with a payload set for Mars.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launches NASA's ESCAPADE to Mars in stunning animation
The announcement comes amid reports of several recent mishaps. In one incident, part of a rocket broke due to a pressure problem at the launch pad's hangar. In another, a tank broke down unexpectedly during testing with explosive consequences.
The Registry sent these reports to Blue Origin, and a spokesperson told us that the company is constantly testing new hardware and configurations. "These tests, including those with anomalies, allow us to make our future hardware and systems more robust.
"We are ramping up our production efforts across the board and look forward to even more flights next year."
