Blue Origin New Glenn Status and Factory Tour

Everyday Astronaut, Tim Dodd, got a tour from Blue Origin Executive Chariman Jeff Bezos of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket production facilities.

00:00 - Intro

00:40 - Interview Starts [Lobby]

05:20 - Recovering Saturn V Engines

08:35 - Tank Production

16:40 - Second Stage

23:50 - Aft Section

33:15 - Forward Section

42:08 - Machine Shop

51:35 - Payload Adapter and Fairings

1:00:00 - Engines

1:11:20 - Outro

The New Glenn Rocket would be comparable in payload to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy. The Falcon Heavy has had ten successful launches and has about eleven more scheduled through 2029.

The New Glenn rocket by Blue Origin is in the final stages of preparation for its maiden flight, with significant activities ramping up towards a possible September 29, 2024 launch.

Here's what is known:

Launch Preparations: New Glenn hardware, including stages, has been undergoing testing at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36). This includes cryogenic testing, pad testing, and integration tests without engines, which are being hotfired elsewhere. The rocket's first stage is designed to be reusable, aiming for landings on a sea-based platform.

BE-4 Engine: The BE-4 engine, crucial for both New Glenn and ULA's Vulcan rocket, has been in development and testing. Recent updates indicate:

Testing: BE-4 engines continue to be tested at facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, and West Texas. There's been mention of successful hotfire tests, indicating progress in engine reliability and performance.

Production Rate: While specific numbers for the current production rate of BE-4 engines aren't provided, Blue Origin has been scaling up its production capabilities to meet the demands for both New Glenn and Vulcan. The focus has been on ensuring engine delivery for Vulcan's needs, suggesting a robust production line, but exact rates haven't been disclosed.

Engine Anomaly: There was an incident where a BE-4 engine exploded during a test in June 2023, but this seems to have been resolved with investigations pointing towards remedial actions being implemented.

First Flight: The first flight of New Glenn is targeted for later in 2024, with NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars as its payload, marking a significant milestone for Blue Origin in launching national security satellites and contributing to space exploration.

BE-3U: Alongside BE-4, the BE-3U engines for New Glenn's second stage have also been in testing, with successful duration tests reported, indicating progress on that front as well.

Blue Origin and New Glenn have goals of flying 12-24 times per year.

Rocket Labs has test fired a new Archimedes engine for a mostly reusable Neutron rocket which would be a SpaceX Falcon 9 class rocket. Rocket Labs has had dozens of successful orbital missions. Blue Origin has not had a successful orbital mission. Blue Origin did supply an engine used by ULA for an orbital mission.