In a bold move, Blue Origin has announced that it plans to return to flight with its New Glenn rocket by the end of this year. This ambitious timeline comes just days after a spectacular explosion at the launch site in Florida, which damaged the pad and forced the company to reassess its plans.
According to CEO Dave Limp, the company has completed a preliminary survey of the LC-36A launch site and found that the propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen, and LNG tanks are all in good shape. This is seen as good luck, as these components have long lead times. The water tower is also intact.
The company plans to rebuild the damaged launch site and return to flight with the 7×2 variant of the New Glenn booster, which has a proven track record. Limp confirmed that Blue Origin will press ahead with a rebuild of the LC-36A site, rather than opting for a larger pad next door capable of supporting the larger 9×4 variant.
One of the key challenges facing Blue Origin is replacing the massive transporter-erector that moves the New Glenn rocket from its integration hangar to the launch pad. The company had already been working on eliminating this component in favor of an alternative vertical conop, and will now go directly to implementing this new design.
This move is seen as a risk by some, with a six-month timeline to return to flight considered optimistic. Historically, Blue Origin has not operated at such a rapid pace, and the company may be underestimating the time and resources required to rebuild the launch site and prepare for another launch.
However, Blue Origin does have some important advantages. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has expressed support for the company’s efforts, and the US Space Force is also likely to provide expedited reviews and other federal support as needed. This could help Blue Origin overcome some of the challenges it faces in returning to flight so quickly.
The cause of the failure that damaged the New Glenn rocket is still unknown, but speculation has focused on one of the first stage’s main engines failing during a static fire test. The BE-4 engine, which powers both the New Glenn and Vulcan vehicles, has a fine track record across multiple flights, so it is likely that Blue Origin will be able to identify the cause of the failure and get the rocket flying safely again.
The real challenge facing Blue Origin is finding somewhere to launch its New Glenn rocket from. The company may need to rely on a different launch site or pad, which could add complexity and delay to its return-to-flight timeline.
Source: Original article