Satellite components developed in Auckland will soon be on their way to Mars as part of Nasa’s “Escapade” mission.

But not today after the Blue Origin New Glenn N2 launch, carrying twin Rocket Lab spacecraft, scrubbed at the last minute because of high cumulus clouds over its Florida launch site.

No immediate date was named for a second attempt, which will depend on both weather and US political turbulence.

The New York Times reported earlier today, “If the launch is delayed by weather or a technical glitch, it may be grounded indefinitely. In an attempt to relieve congestion in the nation’s airspace during the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that, beginning on Monday [Tues Nov 11 NZT], no commercial rockets can lift off between 6am. and 10pm local time.”

Over the past week, the FAA has progressively restricted US flights due to a high absentee rate among air traffic controllers, who have to work but have not been paid during the 40 days and counting US Government shutdown.

Issues on Blue Origin’s side had already delayed the launch by a year.

A 2.5-hour launch window began today at 8.45am NZT for a New Glenn Rocket, made by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, to blast off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Onboard were two identical Rocket Lab-designed and built spacecraft, named Blue and Gold (each around 550kg), which will ferry satellites to Mars, then control them as they orbit the Red Planet, studying how solar wind interacts with Mars’ magnetic environment in a bid to learn how its atmosphere – which once supported water – was stripped away.

The twin satellites, managed by the University of California, Berkeley, will reach Mars in September 2027.

Blue and Gold’s various Rocket Lab systems showcase the Kiwi-American firm’s reach, following the acquisition of multiple space companies.

They include reaction control systems developed in Auckland (for keeping the satellites in the correct orientation), propulsion tanks and satellite radios made in Long Beach, California, star trackers developed in Toronto and solar panels made in New Mexico.

Technical issues on Blue Origin’s side meant a postponement of the original launch date – scheduled for the time when Earth and Mars are in alignment for the shortest journey, which only happens once every 26 months.

It now means the twin spacecraft will now take a long way around.

After takeoff, the twin spacecraft will soar into deep space. But rather than turning toward Mars, the two orbiters will instead aim for Lagrange Point 2, or L2 — a cosmic balance point about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, where they will sit in a “loitering orbit” for 12 months before proceeding to Mars.

Nasa says the entire Escapade mission will be executed for under US$100 million ($178m) under the US space agency’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (“SIMPLEx”) programme to develop low-cost missions.

Today’s launch will also see Blue Origin attempt to land the New Glenn rocket’s first stage on a foating platform — a barge at sea named Jacklyn after Bezos’ late mother.

All going well, Rocket Lab will one day have its hardware on the surface of the Red Planet, too.

In October last year, the firm revealed it was one of the contenders selected by Nasa to complete a study into retrieving rock samples from the surface of Mars (already collected by various rover missions) and returning them to Earth – something never done before.

It’s a modest contract, with huge potential, according to the firm.

“The study contract is US$625,000 [$1.02m]. The opportunity should the study concepts be progressed is in the billions,” Rocket Lab marketing and communications vice-president Morgan Connaughton told the Herald.

Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.