Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin CEO hypes New Glenn launch after successful static fire
Blue Origin Founder, Jeff Bezos and CEO, Dave Limp have hyped the launch of the first-ever New Glenn launch as the company marked a successful static fire test.
Bezos shared the static fire video showing the rocket’s engine firing at full power for a few seconds.
“Well, all we have left to do is mate our encapsulated payload…and then LAUNCH! Congrats to the many Blue folks on today’s test. Big day for our seven #BE4 engines” wrote Dave Limp.
Well, all we have left to do is mate our encapsulated payload…and then LAUNCH! Congrats to the many Blue folks on today’s test. Big day for our seven #BE4 engines, simultaneously firing for the first time for 24 seconds. Get this – a single BE-4 turbopump can fit in the backseat… https://t.co/nHx3t0KEYd pic.twitter.com/UQkS0cFWKT
— Dave Limp (@davill) December 28, 2024
Multi-day test campaign
The static fire is the result of a multi-day campaign. The New Glenn 1 or NG-1 for this campaign used the complete vehicle including two stages and a payload test article consisting of test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter flight unit, and a 45,000 lb payload mass simulator.
These tests are aimed at recreating launch day operations using a similar configuration for propellant, engines, payload,d, and flight systems.The
New Glenn team has completed several tests to verify the rocket and all of these segments on the launch pad.
New Glenn static fire (Source – Blue Origin)
WDR
The tanking test demonstrated terminal count sequence, hand-off authority to and from the flight computer, and fluid validation data collection.
The first stage (GS1) tanks were filled and pressed with liquified natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX) and the second stage (GS2) had liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This wet dress rehearsal led to the hot-fire test.
The booster is equipped with seven BE-4 engines generating more than 3.8 million lbf of thrust at sea level. The company has designed this stage to provide power to liftoff the entire vehicle.
The static fire test for New Glenn lasted for 24 seconds, while the engines achieved 100% thurst for 13 seconds.
Firsts
This test campaign has achieved the first seven-engine operations, the first integrated GS1-GS2 tanking demonstration, the first LNG/LOX deployment for GS1, and the first chilled helium operations for GS2.
Launch Date
Based on recent FAA filing, Blue Origin can launch New Glenn somewhere in January but a date can only be announced after stati-fire data evaluation.
(source)
