Blue Origin has hot-fired the second stage of New Glenn for the primary time, persevering with to work towards its inaugural launch. Over the past 12 months, the corporate has continued to guide New Glenn to its first flight and has confidently and quickly pushed for a profitable mission. The launch date is arising in only some months, and though the launch might have been delayed from August to no sooner than November, that has not hindered Blue Origin’s achievements.
New Glenn’s Improvement
Blue Origin has been engaged on creating an enormous seven-meter-wide orbital rocket to fulfill the calls for of suppliers, who’ve had just one choice with any {qualifications} close to this automobile for years. New Glenn is anticipated to carry 45,000 kg to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 13,600 kg to geostationary switch orbit (GTO) whereas nonetheless being reused. That is greater than Falcon 9’s 17,500 kg to LEO and 5,500 kg to GTO and just like Falcon Heavy’s efficiency.
New Glenn stacked on LC-36 for the primary time on Feb. 21, 2024 (Credit score: Blue Origin)
Seven BE-4 engines working on liquid methane and liquid oxygen (LOX) will propel the primary stage with 17,000 kN of thrust at liftoff. Then, when in house, two BE-3U vacuum-optimized engines utilizing liquid hydrogen and LOX as propellant will take the payload the remainder of the way in which to orbit.
New Glenn would be the second heavy-lift launcher after SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy to try to land and reuse the primary stage. Utilizing the information gained from New Shepard’s landings, Blue Origin could have a greater probability to efficiently land the booster on the droneship Jackyln on the primary try. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be anticipated to land; the mission may nonetheless succeed with out a touchdown. Like early Falcon recoveries, Blue Origin will probably be attempting to assemble as a lot knowledge as doable on this secondary mission goal.
Welcome house, Jacklyn. This sea-based touchdown platform is the place New Glenn’s reusable booster will return house repeatedly after every mission to rapidly refurbish for its subsequent flight. pic.twitter.com/j0aMorEn9d
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) September 4, 2024
With a seven-meter-wide and practically 22-meter-long fairing, New Glenn will give unparalleled entry to bigger and extra complicated payloads and would additionally promise reuse. Reusing New Glenn, at any time when that occurs, would drastically assist convey the price of the launch down whereas additionally being streamlined, as Blue Origin has solely used 4 boosters for all of New Shepard’s 26 flights.
The systematic improvement that has gone into New Glenn introduced the automobile to the launch pad for testing on Monday, Sept. 23, for the brand-new rocket’s first breath of life.
New Glenn’s Scorching Firing
New Glenn’s higher stage was rolled out to Launch Complicated 36 (LC-36) at Cape Canaveral Area Drive Station on Sept. 3 in anticipation of the preliminary automobile check. After twenty days of preparation, the Blue Origin group crammed New Glenn’s second stage with flight-worthy propellant for the primary time and lit its two BE-3U engines, which sizzling fired for 15 seconds.
This check’s major objective was to verify that the bottom management techniques, second-stage subsystems, and engines talk and performance as anticipated.
Water, smoke, and fireplace from three angles right this moment. GS2 hotfire full! pic.twitter.com/qUjxu52XGI
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) September 23, 2024
Blue Origin carried out a tank pressurization management system, which makes use of helium to maintain the liquid hydrogen and LOX pressurized all through the flight. The thrust vector management system was gimbaled, proving that the automobile had sufficient management, and the 2 BE-3U engines had been efficiently began and shut down as anticipated.
The launch operation group at Blue Origin went over what could be anticipated of them if this hotfire had been an precise launch, giving them extra directions on what to do on the day of launch and verifying the timing of every operation.
Blue Origin additionally introduced that the second stage has outperformed what it initially anticipated the engines to have the ability to do. It was anticipated to have 710 kN of vacuum thrust however over-preformed to just about 770 kN.
Up Subsequent for New Glenn
LC-36 ought to quickly produce extra sizzling firings. The primary stage, “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Probability,” will probably be examined. With launch two months away, the booster rollout and firing of all seven BE-4 engines may occur any day if Blue Origin decides to maneuver on from testing the second stage. Nonetheless, the second stage may have extra firings or fillings earlier than it’s prepared for flight, which may enable for extra testing.
We’ve a cool historical past naming key Blue {hardware} that dates again to New Shepard. We’re calling New Glenn’s first booster “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Probability.” Why? Nobody has landed a reusable booster on the primary attempt. But, we’re going for it, and humbly submit having good… pic.twitter.com/xKxFCBwSgA
— Dave Limp (@davill) September 13, 2024
The complete stack of a flight-ready New Glenn will arrive shortly after the booster check. As soon as this occurs, New Glenn would be the largest rocket at Cape Canaveral for the reason that Saturn V. Nonetheless, this one has the prospect to return and launch once more.
The present launch timeline isn’t any sooner than November. The New Glenn launch will ship a prototype Blue Ring spacecraft, a satellite tv for pc help system created to host, transport, refuel, relay knowledge, and collect logistics for any satellite tv for pc as much as 3,000 kg. This can be a demonstration mission for the Nationwide Safety Area Launch (NSSL) program run by the US Area Drive. Blue Origin will probably be allowed to launch Area Drive payloads if this mission goes effectively.
(Lead Picture: New Glenn second stage testing on Sept. 23. Credit score: Blue Origin)
