Name: Mars Telecommunications Orbiter — New Glenn
Start: 2028-12-31T00:00:00Z
End: 2028-12-31T00:00:00Z
Location: Launch Complex 36A

Question 1

What rocket is launching Mars Telecommunications Orbiter?

Accepted Answer

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter is launching on the New Glenn.

Question 2

Who is launching Mars Telecommunications Orbiter?

Accepted Answer

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter is being launched by Blue Origin, a commercial launch provider founded in 2000.

Question 3

Where is Mars Telecommunications Orbiter launching from?

Accepted Answer

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter is launching from Launch Complex 36A at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Mars Telecommunications Orbiter heading to?

Accepted Answer

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter is heading to Mars Orbit (Mars).

Question 5

Is the New Glenn reusable?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the New Glenn is designed to be reused, with boosters that can fly multiple missions.

Question 6

How many times has the New Glenn flown?

Accepted Answer

The New Glenn has launched 3 times to date, with 2 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter mission?

Accepted Answer

The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) will provide a future dedicated high-speed communications relay network for continuous coverage between Earth and Mars for future NASA and cooperating partners’ Mars science missions, with the flexibility to meet future Mars science and exploration needs. It will replace multiple communication relay units installed on existing Mars science orbiters.

Blue Origin will design, develop, integrate, launch, and operate the spacecraft and network. The MTO is based on Blue Origin’s Blue Ring satellite bus.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Photo gallery

Launch Complex 36A

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions