Blue Origin has conducted the first test flight of the New Shepard suborbital rocket. The launch vehicle demonstrated the potential the rocket has in lifting tourists to space in the future and advancing the suborbital and orbital launch industry.
The rocket and its crew capsule flew to an altitude of 93.5km, just short of the Karman line of 100km which is often used to symbolise the beginning of space. Powered by the 110,000-lbf thrust liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen BE-3 engine, the ascent was performed flawlessly. The vehicle reached speeds in excess of Mach 3 at its fastest point.
The rocket and its crew capsule flew to an altitude of 93.5km, just short of the Karman line of 100km which is often used to symbolise the beginning of space. Powered by the 110,000-lbf thrust liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen BE-3 engine, the ascent was performed flawlessly. The vehicle reached speeds in excess of Mach 3 at its fastest point.
“Guidance, navigation and control was nominal throughout max Q and all of ascent. The in-space separation of the crew capsule from the propulsion module was perfect. Any astronauts on board would have had a very nice journey into space and a smooth return.”
Indeed, Jeff Bezos has made very clear of the aim of launching astronauts aboard a Blue Origin rocket in the coming years. With the potential financial benefits that could result in space tourism, Blue Origin have set their goals of realising this possibility in the near future.
Similarly to SpaceX, Blue Origin aim to land the first stage of the New Shepard rocket. The BE-3 engine has been built with the capability of conducting a propulsive return. This key aim of reusability could make launch prices very affordable for budding space tourists. However, although this flight was a success in many ways, Blue Origin’s attempt at landing the first stage failed.
“Of course one of our goals is reusability, and unfortunately we didn’t get to recover the propulsion module because we lost pressure in our hydraulic system on descent. Fortunately, we’ve already been in work for some time on an improved hydraulic system. Also, assembly of propulsion module serial numbers 2 and 3 is already underway – we’ll be ready to fly again soon.”
Blue Origin are already beginning to look to the future, and have stated that their next goal would be to pair the BE-4 methane engine with a launch vehicle currently dubbed the Very Big Brother. This launch vehicle would be many times the size of the New Shepard suborbital rocket and would enable the possibility of launch crew into orbit.
Indeed, Jeff Bezos has made very clear of the aim of launching astronauts aboard a Blue Origin rocket in the coming years. With the potential financial benefits that could result in space tourism, Blue Origin have set their goals of realising this possibility in the near future.
Similarly to SpaceX, Blue Origin aim to land the first stage of the New Shepard rocket. The BE-3 engine has been built with the capability of conducting a propulsive return. This key aim of reusability could make launch prices very affordable for budding space tourists. However, although this flight was a success in many ways, Blue Origin’s attempt at landing the first stage failed.
“Of course one of our goals is reusability, and unfortunately we didn’t get to recover the propulsion module because we lost pressure in our hydraulic system on descent. Fortunately, we’ve already been in work for some time on an improved hydraulic system. Also, assembly of propulsion module serial numbers 2 and 3 is already underway – we’ll be ready to fly again soon.”
Blue Origin are already beginning to look to the future, and have stated that their next goal would be to pair the BE-4 methane engine with a launch vehicle currently dubbed the Very Big Brother. This launch vehicle would be many times the size of the New Shepard suborbital rocket and would enable the possibility of launch crew into orbit.