New Glenn
New Glenn is a heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle being developed by Blue Origin, a company founded by Jeff Bezos. Here are some detailed aspects of the New Glenn rocket:
Development and Design
- New Glenn is named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth.
- The rocket is designed to be partially reusable, with the first stage being capable of vertical landing and reuse, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9.
- The vehicle uses seven BE-4 engines in its first stage, which are methane/liquid oxygen (methalox) engines developed by Blue Origin.
- It has a planned payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) of approximately 45 metric tons when expendable, and around 13 metric tons when the first stage is recovered.
- The second stage uses a single BE-3U vacuum engine, which is an upgraded version of the BE-3 engine used in New Shepard.
Launch and Operational Details
- Initial test flights were anticipated to begin in 2020, but delays have pushed this timeline back. Blue Origin has been working on testing and integration, with updates indicating a potential first launch in late 2022 or later.
- The rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, where Blue Origin has constructed Launch Complex 36.
- New Glenn is designed to compete with rockets like SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and ULA's Delta IV Heavy, offering a significant payload capacity to geostationary transfer orbits (GTO).
Significance and Goals
- The development of New Glenn is part of Blue Origin's broader ambition to make space travel more accessible and cost-effective, aligning with the company's vision of "Millions of people living and working in space."
- It aims to serve both commercial satellite launches and future human spaceflight missions.
- The reusability aspect of New Glenn is intended to significantly reduce the cost of access to space, a key factor in expanding space exploration and utilization.
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