Blue Origin Quietly Advances New Glenn Rocket Testing, Set to Compete with SpaceX’s Falcon Lineup

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, is progressing toward the first major hot fire test of its New Glenn rocket, aiming to rival SpaceX’s Falcon series. Recently, the company’s barge returned to Cape Canaveral after offshore testing, marking a crucial step in New Glenn’s development. Powered by seven in-house BE-4 engines, New Glenn boasts an impressive 3.8 million pounds of thrust, more than double that of the Falcon 9, though it still falls short of Falcon Heavy’s 5.1 million pounds.

Like SpaceX’s reusable Falcon rockets, New Glenn’s first-stage booster is designed to land on an ocean barge. Blue Origin recently completed a series of offshore communication tests using a helicopter and is now focused on installing engines and preparing for a major hot fire test. October saw significant preparations, with New Glenn moving to Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for final testing.

The next phase involves an integrated hot fire test, stacking New Glenn’s second stage atop its first-stage booster. This test follows Blue Origin’s successful second-stage engine fire in late September, where the BE-3U engines (using liquid hydrogen) were tested alongside the methane-powered BE-4 engines. New Glenn is expected to support missions such as Amazon’s Kuiper satellite launches and NASA’s Artemis Moon lander, positioning Blue Origin as a significant player in heavy-lift space missions.

Stay tuned to Duck-IT Tech News for the latest on Blue Origin’s New Glenn and other space industry updates!