Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket rises on the pad ahead of 1st launch (photo)

Apr 17, 2023
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This is a brand new launch system. Even the launch pad is brand new.

Have they tested the fueling systems completely yet? Test fired the 1st stage yet? Fully fueled and defueled the entire rocket yet? Tested a count down to everything but a launch yet? Do the have the launch license yet?

With all those "yets" somehow BO is going to launch in 24?
 
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Nov 22, 2024
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WHY DO YOU KEEP COMPARING NEW GLENN TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN STARSHIP?????????
STOP with your ridiculous bias and attempts to exaggerate Blu Origen's accomplishments!!! An intelligent and unbiased writer SHOULD KNOW BETTER and understand that when making comparisons, to New Glenn the ONLY launch vehicle you need to mention in the same breath IS STARSHIP!!!
First off New Glenn has accomplished NOTHING, period, so it does NOT deserve to be compared to Falcon, the most reliable and critically important launch vehicle EVER BUILT!!!!
So just STOP, it makes you look incompetent when you downplay the REAL COMPETITION because we all know that it’s Starship!
 
Nov 22, 2024
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This is a brand new launch system. Even the launch pad is brand new.

Have they tested the fueling systems completely yet? Test fired the 1st stage yet? Fully fueled and defueled the entire rocket yet? Tested a count down to everything but a launch yet? Do the have the launch license yet?

With all those "yets" somehow BO is going to launch in 24?
Thank you!! Idk but the writers here continually display a bias towards Blue Origen’s New Glenn, for instance WHY do they fail to talk about your points and utterly avoid expressing the obvious healthy skepticism over Blue Origen’s plan to launch a REAL PAYLOAD on its maiden flight on a completely radical 100% NEW design that has NEVER been flown, THAT IS UNHEARD OF and utterly irresponsible smh!
 
Jan 28, 2023
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This is a brand new launch system. Even the launch pad is brand new.

Have they tested the fueling systems completely yet? Test fired the 1st stage yet? Fully fueled and defueled the entire rocket yet? Tested a count down to everything but a launch yet? Do the have the launch license yet?

With all those "yets" somehow BO is going to launch in 24?
At least one thing is certain. The BE4 engines have been tested many times and even fly in real flights, albeit with a different rocket.
 
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I do agree that the article seems to be avoiding comparisons to SpaceX StarShip, and that it does not provide any real perspective on where in the launch preparation process the New Glenn rocket is currently working.

However, I do hope that this rocket succeeds in becoming a functional launch option.

So, how about giving us the same amount of detail on things like remaining tests, open issues, etc.. as is usually done for SpaceX developmental launches?
 
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Dec 28, 2019
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I LOVE competition -- we always run our best race when the person next to us is pushing hard. Best, this is between two private, commercial organizations, not countries. May both Blue Origins and SpaceX keep innovating.

But Blue Origin seems to be learning by putting people up there and NO issues are allowed, while SpaceX first throws satellites, etc. into orbit where if you reach too far it is "oh well, better luck next week". And, more importantly, while the SpaceX close-up, high-def, real-time programs keep us entertained, they also dramatically improve the feedback that makes the next version of the product better.
 
I agree about the competition.

But, regarding "putting people up there", SpaceX is doing that, too. But SpaceX is putting people into orbit and boarding the ISS, even going beyond LEO, even making space suits suitable for space walks. Meanwhile, Blue Origin has spent a lot of effort on suborbital launches of humans who are pretty much tourists. I am not thinking that is getting Blue Origin much practical experience in the orbital mission parameters. However, they do get to land their booster.

After watching Boeing's technical and financial trajectory, I don't want to see all of our capabilities depend on any one company. So, I'm rooting for Blue Origin and Sierra Space. And not just for launch vehicles, but for crewed vehicles and space stations, and lunar habitats, too.
 
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Nov 22, 2024
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I LOVE competition -- we always run our best race when the person next to us is pushing hard. Best, this is between two private, commercial organizations, not countries. May both Blue Origins and SpaceX keep innovating.

But Blue Origin seems to be learning by putting people up there and NO issues are allowed, while SpaceX first throws satellites, etc. into orbit where if you reach too far it is "oh well, better luck next week". And, more importantly, while the SpaceX close-up, high-def, real-time programs keep us entertained, they also dramatically improve the feedback that makes the next version of the product better.
"..PUTTING PEOPLE UP THERE"?????????
What are you talking about, you mean taking tourists to barely above the Karmen line??? Wow, sorry but you do not know what you're talking about because WHO is the ONLY human launch provider in the US???? OH YEAH, it's SpaceX that's who, Blue Origen is NOT qualified nor permitted yet to put humans INTO ORBIT, so your obvious bias makes it difficult to take anything you say seriously, please try better.
 
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Nov 22, 2024
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At least one thing is certain. The BE4 engines have been tested many times and even fly in real flights, albeit with a different rocket.
Well yes they're tested on a single engine vehicle, but if you remember how much trouble SpaceX had on Starship getting multiple engines to work together, BO will likely have similar issue although having only 7 instead of 33 certainly reduces the complexity. But it's also the massive vibrations and the issues that can cause which are a different engineering challenge. That said I agree with others that I wish them success as we need more that one reliable space launch company as SpaceX NEEDS competition.
 
Apr 17, 2023
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At least one thing is certain. The BE4 engines have been tested many times and even fly in real flights, albeit with a different rocket.
Sure, 1 actual test flight on a different rocket is better than zero test flights.

But there are so many new variables with a new rocket. Just not knowing how exactly the rocket will shake and vibrate during liftoff is a huge unknown. The 2nd Sat V flight had major issues trying to get to orbit. All of those F-1 were test fired quite a bit also.

BO won't know until they fly. I have no clue why they wouldn't of at least tried a few hot fire tests, with the 1st stage at least a year of so ago. Why not do a Hopper program to shake out some of the unknown for landing the 1st stage?

Even fueling the rocket is filled with all kind of new systems and software. H2 is always tricky even if you're experienced with it. Draining the fuel due to a scrub is not easy with an established proven rocket doing it for the first few times is especially tricky. Simulation vs real world rarely line up exactly. Troubleshooting any problem for the 1st time always adds time to the learning curve.
 

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