MUNICH — Blue Origin recently celebrated a successful launch and landing of its New Glenn rocket. Now, the company is announcing exciting upgrades to enhance its capabilities.
On November 20, Blue Origin shared plans to boost the power of New Glenn. They’ll increase the thrust of its seven BE-4 engines from 3.9 million pounds-force to 4.5 million pounds-force. The BE-3U engines on the upper stage will get a similar upgrade, raising their thrust from 320,000 to 400,000 pounds-force.
“These improvements will greatly benefit our customers,” Blue Origin stated, highlighting missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond.
Additional upgrades are also in the works. These include a reusable payload fairing, a redesigned lower tank to cut costs, and a reusable thermal protection system for the booster. The company plans to phase in these changes, starting with the next launch, NG-3, set for early next year.
While the increased thrust sounds promising, Blue Origin hasn’t clarified how it will impact the rocket’s payload capacity. Current claims suggest New Glenn can carry up to 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 13 tons to geostationary transfer orbit. However, there are rumors that the rocket may not meet these targets. Blue Origin has yet to comment on this speculation.
Blue Origin is also working on a larger version of New Glenn, called the New Glenn 9×4. This model will feature nine BE-4 engines and a payload fairing 8.7 meters wide, compared to the current 7-meter fairing. The 9×4 aims to deliver over 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit and more than 20 tons for lunar missions, though no release date has been provided.
Both versions of New Glenn will coexist, providing customers with diverse launch options. This flexibility will cater to various needs, from commercial satellite launches to deep space exploration and national security projects.
This announcement follows the successful NG-2 launch, which sent NASA’s ESCAPADE mission towards Mars. The booster landed safely on a ship in the Atlantic, marking another milestone for Blue Origin.
After the NG-2 launch, Blue Origin’s CEO, Dave Limp, emphasized the importance of expanding launch operations. He mentioned plans to produce more than 20 expendable second stages annually. “We aim to be very hardware-rich next year,” Limp explained, underscoring the push for efficiency in operations.
Despite uncertainties about future launch numbers, Limp is optimistic about the year ahead. “We’ll launch a bunch of times next year,” he stated confidently.
As the space industry evolves, Blue Origin is positioning itself to play a significant role in upcoming missions and projects. The continuous upgrades to the New Glenn rocket reflect the company’s commitment to innovation and meeting the demands of a growing market.
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