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<\/p>\nBlue Origin has hot-fired the second stage of New Glenn for the first time, continuing to work toward its inaugural launch. Over the last year, the company has continued to lead New Glenn to its first flight and has confidently and rapidly pushed for a successful mission. The launch date is coming up in only a few months, and although the launch may have been delayed from August to no earlier than November, that has not hindered Blue Origin\u2019s achievements. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
New Glenn\u2019s Development<\/b><\/p>\n
Blue Origin has been working on creating a massive seven-meter-wide orbital rocket to meet the demands of suppliers, who have had only one option with any qualifications near this vehicle for years. New Glenn is expected to lift 45,000 kg to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 13,600 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) while still being reused. This is higher than Falcon 9\u2019s 17,500 kg to LEO and 5,500 kg to GTO and similar to Falcon Heavy\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n
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New Glenn stacked on LC-36 for the first time on Feb. 21, 2024 (Credit: Blue Origin)<\/p>\n
Seven BE-4 engines running on liquid methane and liquid oxygen (LOX) will propel the first stage with 17,000 kN of thrust at liftoff. Then, when in space, two BE-3U vacuum-optimized engines using liquid hydrogen and LOX as propellant will take the payload the rest of the way to orbit. <\/p>\n
New Glenn will be the second heavy-lift launcher after SpaceX\u2019s Falcon Heavy to attempt to land and reuse the first stage. Using the knowledge gained from New Shepard\u2019s landings, Blue Origin will have a better chance to successfully land the booster on the droneship Jackyln <\/em>on the first attempt. However, it shouldn\u2019t be expected to land; the mission could still succeed without a landing. Like early Falcon recoveries, Blue Origin will be trying to gather as much data as possible on this secondary mission objective.<\/p>\n