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Jeff Bezos’Blue Originraised a test adaptation of its massive orbital rocket on its launch pad for the first time Wednesday , inaugurate the beginning of a major test campaign ahead of the first launch after this year .
The test rendering of the rocket is all Blue Origin computer hardware , but not all of it will necessarily end up go to blank space . The 2nd stage and the payload fair that sits at the top of the vehicle are both bandstand - ins during testing ; the rocket also does n’t have any BE-4 engines , as they ’re not needed for the upcoming suite of tests . Those engines , which are also made by Blue Origin , are undergo their own test campaign at NASA ’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the company ’s facilities in West Texas .
The upcoming tests with this launch vehicle will let squad practice vehicle consolidation and exile to and from the launch pad , and what ’s called an integrate tanking test . For that test , the booster amplifier will be fueled with liquid N ( which is not used during an actual launching ) to verify that the liquid systems operate properly . Tests are anticipated to take at least a week , Blue Origin CEO David Limpsaid on LinkedIn .
Once the exam are complete , the vehicle will retrovert to Blue ’s massive service department at Florida ’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Base , where engineer will fit the reusable first stage with seven BE-4 locomotive engine and mate it with a flight of stairs - ready 2d stage . ( The BE-4 engine gained flight heritage to begin with this class , when they power United Launch Alliance ’s first Vulcan Centaur rocket launch . )
Limp expressed authority that the fomite will meet its target launch date by the end of this class : “ manufacture proceed to make progress with multiple booster amplifier , fairings , and second degree in our manufactory , ” he said . “ We ’re looking ahead to bringing this heavy - face lift content to our customers by and by this year . ”
Bringing the young vehicle to market will mark a new chapter for the 24 - class - erstwhile troupe . The caller is best live for carry space touristry flights with its suborbital Eruca sativa , New Shepard . That vehicle , which is 60 fundament tall , only flies to around 66 Admiralty mile — above what many consider to be the bound of place , but far short of reaching orbital space .
New Glenn is substantially more powerful . The 320 - foot - tall launch vehicle is Blue Origin ’s first heavy - lift roquette , project to establish more than 45 tons of consignment to low Earth orbit . The reclaimable first stage will land on a flatboat in the Atlantic Ocean , standardized to how SpaceX recovers its promoter , and is design to fly for at least 25 missions .
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The fomite has already been tapped by multiple customers — the first launch will carry a pair of NASA ballistic capsule cry ESCAPADE , which have Mars as their ultimate destination . Amazon , Bezos ’ other troupe , also grant New Glenn jillion for up to 27 launch for its forthcoming Project Kuiper satellite internet constellation . Blue Origin has also grade launches for telecom providers Telecast and Eutelsat for after this decade .
