New Glenn Upper Stage Final Test Scheduled in a Week

Blue Origin’s New Glenn is entering its final preparation phase ahead of the maiden flight. A hot fire test of the upper stage, powered by two BE-3U engines, is scheduled within the next week. This final company’s phase test aims to indicate the rocket’s readiness. The test will be conducted at Launch Complex 36 in Florida and represent a significant advancement for one of the biggest rockets ever made. On Tuesday, the stage was rolled out and lifted on the pad.

The New Glenn is supposed to deploy NASA’s twin spacecraft, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE), on a tight launch window, between October 13 and October 21. Both spacecraft are designed to reach Mars and analyze the magnetosphere, reaching the red planet in approximately nine months.

New Glenn Launch Changes and Prospective

The engines in the New Glenn’s second stage will be ignited after different previous hot fire tests since late 2019. Initially, Blue Origin envisioned a rocket similar in size to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

However, over six years since its first reveal in 2018, substantial changes have been made. The design changed from four to seven BE-4 engines for the first stage, already flown on Vulcan rocket in 2024, and two BE-3U engines for the second stage. These have been developed from the BE-3, already widely used for the suborbital New Shepard vehicle.

The New Glenn rocket is almost ready for its first launch. However, the project has encountered several delays over the years. Initially, Blue Origin had planned the first launch for 2020 to secure launch contracts under the US Department of Defense’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.

Unfortunately, delays and uncertainties limited Blue Origin’s new vehicle to its participation in the NSSL Phase 2 in 2020. This year the company was finally selected, along with SpaceX and ULA, to compete for future contracts under Phase 3 Lane 1 procurement.

Despite the delays, Blue Origin has remained focused on fulfilling its commercial contracts. The company has been supported by over $2.5 billion in self-investment from Jeff Bezos for advanced facilities.

However, additional issues highlight the challenges of the tight launch schedule. Recent incidents, including a stress failure and the explosion of the New Glenn upper stage during its transfer to a storage hangar. These previous incidents have raised concerns about prioritizing safety and quality within the company. 

NASA’s Significant Trust in Blue Origin’s Plans

Since Bob Smith became CEO of Blue Origin in 2017, the company has evolved from a simple startup into a traditional aerospace firm. The New Glenn project has gained considerable attention, alongside other initiatives. Interesting mentions are competition to build a lunar lander for NASA, and future contracts, including those for Amazon’s Kuiper satellites.

Dave Limp has emphasized shifting the company’s focus to the New Glenn rocket, viewing it as crucial for reducing costs for human activities in space. The rocket’s imminent mission to land the first stage on a drone ship may face challenges. However, Blue Origin remains dedicated to using the data from this mission to achieve rapid reusability in future launches.

The launch service for the next month is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contracts. The contract aim at fostering commercial space access with lower costs and higher risk tolerance. Although the successful first launch of the rocket is doubtful, NASA’s plan seems to continue to believe in Blue Origin, entrusting the company’s determination and focus to the project.