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Blue Origin’s heavy-lift New Glenn rocket is only a few milestones from its maiden launch. Earlier this month the 98-meter-tall, seven-meter-wide launch car was rolled out to the launch pad on the firm’s Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) forward of scorching fireplace testing. This take a look at needs to be the ultimate main occasion earlier than the rocket is prepared for flight.
Over the previous couple of months, Blue Origin has assembled all the mandatory {hardware} for the debut combat at LC-36. The second stage, Glenn Stage 2 (GS2), was rolled from the corporate’s manufacturing facility simply exterior the gates of Kennedy Space Center to LC-36 in early August. The first stage, known as Glenn Stage 1 (GS1) and playfully named So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance, took its lengthy journey to the launch web site on the finish of October.
Following arrival on the launch complicated, GS2 went via a sequence of assessments that culminated in a scorching fireplace on the launch mount. To make this occur Blue constructed a cellular take a look at stand particularly designed for GS2, permitting the levels to be examined on New Glenn’s launch pad and save the development of a devoted take a look at facility for second levels. This stand is successfully a smaller Transporter Erector (TE) that options two cutouts on the backside to permit the stage’s twin BE-3U engines, minus their vacuum nozzle extensions, to ignite and fireplace for so long as wanted.
The scorching fireplace for GS2 was accomplished in September with a 15-second burn of the dual BE-3U engines. Not solely was this the primary time that New Glenn’s launch pad had seen rocket engines firing, but additionally the primary time {that a} New Glenn stage had fired its engines. Once GS2 rolled again to the hangar its BE-3Us would obtain their vacuum nozzle extensions and be ready for integration with GS1.
Following the rollout and arrival of GS1 at LC-36, Blue started integrating the 2 levels inside the massive hangar on the base of the launch pad’s ramp. Integration additionally included including the rocket’s practically 22-meter-tall payload fairing to the stack. While the fairing at the moment hooked up to the car is not going to fly on the primary launch, Blue not too long ago shared that the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload is prepared for launch and will likely be built-in with New Glenn following the recent fireplace.
Following integration, the total 98-meter-long rocket would then be lifted onto the TE and be ready for rollout. On the night of Nov. 20, New Glenn rolled out of the hangar earlier than being raised right into a vertical place the next night.
New Glenn rolling out to the launch pad at LC-36. (Credit: Blue Origin)
On Dec. 4, New Glenn appeared to enter preliminary propellant loading assessments as venting was noticed from close to the second stage of the car. This was doubtless a part of a sequence of small assessments main as much as a full moist gown rehearsal and scorching fireplace. Flare stack exercise on the launch complicated continued for the subsequent few nights.
On Dec. 8, Blue Origin’s CEO Dave Limp posted to X stating that GS1 had not too long ago been fueled with liquid pure fuel (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX) for the primary time. He additionally confirmed that Blue is awaiting regulatory approvals for the recent fireplace and launch of New Glenn. While unclear how lengthy this course of will take, it appears the corporate is feeling assured that it may possibly carry out the firing of the seven BE-4 engines as soon as given approval.
While we anticipate regulatory approvals for hotfire and launch, right here’s a photograph (and a bonus video) of our “chilling” GS1. This marks the primary time we’re tanking our first stage with liquefied pure fuel (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX). The first stage LOX tank is almost 30,000 cu.… pic.twitter.com/S9wDtCUFNI
— Dave Limp (@davill) December 8, 2024
Once the recent fireplace is accomplished and Blue is pleased with the outcomes, groups will then shift focus to the launch marketing campaign. This contains gathering any last regulatory approval for the launch, reminiscent of from the FAA. While Blue has been making ready New Glenn for launch, it has additionally continued increasing its manufacturing talents at its campus in Exploration Park.
Most notable of those additions is the continuation of the massive Lunar Plant 1 constructing, additionally known as the Lunar Production Facility. As the identify suggests, that is the place Blue will manufacture its Blue Moon lunar landers earlier than they’re launched on New Glenn. While nonetheless largely a barebones construction, the power appears to characteristic some taller excessive bay-like areas the place the landers themselves can be built-in.
Lunar Plant 1 underneath building at Blue Origin’s Exploration Park campus. (Credit: Max Evans for NSF)
Next to Lunar Plant 1, Blue has been rebuilding the brand new storage facility that blew over throughout Hurricane Milton again in October. In addition to this, new foundations close to the GS1 Integration Facility set the stage for what needs to be the long-awaited Chemical Processing Facility. To help these new services Blue has constructed a brand new multi-storey parking construction to supply a devoted space for the corporate’s rising workforce.
On Dec. 5, a GS2 stage was noticed contained in the 2CAT facility the place second levels are stress examined. This marked the primary time {that a} tank was positioned contained in the constructing since a stage failed throughout testing and broken the constructing in August. The construction nonetheless doesn’t have a brand new door fitted, however Blue might have determined one is probably not instantly wanted to proceed proofing levels. This will assist Blue sustain its manufacturing fee so it would have a number of second levels influx to help future New Glenn flights.
A GS2 tank within the 2CAT facility being ready for testing. (Credit: Max Evans for NSF)
On Nov. 14, Blue Origin introduced a multi-launch settlement with AST SpaceCell to launch the corporate’s Block 2 BlueHen space-based mobile broadband satellites to low-Earth orbit (LEO). AST SpaceCell acknowledged that New Glenn’s seven-meter diameter payload fairing permits as much as eight satellites to be launched at a time. The launches are at the moment deliberate to happen throughout 2025 and 2026.
(Lead picture: New Glenn stands on the launch pad forward of its pre-launch testing. Credit: Max Evans for NSF)
