Blue Origin will make another attempt to launch its New Glenn megarocket —carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE Mars mission—on Thursday afternoon.

After scrubbing the initial launch due to bad weather and a wayward cruise ship on Sunday, Blue Origin stood down from its second attempt on Wednesday due to a severe geomagnetic storm. Though the storm’s severity has weakened, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center expects it to last through the weekend, and there’s still a chance of severe conditions Thursday.

It’s surprising that Blue Origin is willing to give the launch another go before space weather conditions have cleared. There are considerable risks associated with launching a rocket during a geomagnetic storm, and Blue can’t afford a mishap. During this test flight, New Glenn will launch N

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