We know that Blue Origin had considered their biggest goal for the year was to launch the New Glenn for the first time before the end of 2024; the question is if they can get there in the three days they have left. I see no indication they've set an announced date, and it's difficult to determine if they've completed all the necessary steps before they try.
In an article dated early in the day today (the 27th), Spaceflight Now writes that the FAA has granted the launch license.
Blue Origin is preparing to put on a display of fire and fury out at Launch Complex 36. The company is gearing up for a crucial hot fire test of its New Glenn rocket, which is one of the big, final steps needed before it can launch. It comes as the Federal Aviation Administration granted a Part 450 commercial launch license for the rocket, clearing way for it to operate for five years.
They then go on to tell the story of the last couple of weeks, starting with the fueling test on December 19 and pointing out that Blue appeared to have done some tanking on its rocket, but they didn’t say if it was able to successfully complete a wet dress rehearsal.
Fueling operations again took center stage last Saturday, the 21st, and as I remarked on a "Small Story Roundup" that day, while I waited through the four hour video coverage of NASASpaceflight, we never saw evidence of a static fire.
Which brings us to today. This time I was too busy working with the latest thing to fail around the house to stick with a four hour live feed (and it seems it might have been a routine, easy fix - I'll find out tomorrow), but a quick skim through today's NASA Spaceflight video of the test shows no obvious first stage engine firing. Add in that none of my regular space news sources say anything about a static firing, I'll tentatively conclude they didn't static fire today, either. Neither Next Spaceflight's Blue Origin page nor Blue Origin's corporate web page News say anything about a test today or a fixed date for the first New Glenn launch.
Screen capture of the December 19th test from NASAspaceflight.com's video.
EDIT 1030 ET Dec. 28 to add: It turns out that some time last night Blue had an apparently successful static fire of the New Glenn, at least according to Angry Astronaut on YouTube this morning.
There's another video from a "SpaceX Community"
channel saying there was a problem. Blue Origin's website news page says "The campaign met all objectives and marks the final major test prior to launch." Angry Astronaut says they will attempt to land the booster on a drone ship, while another source said they won't this time.
Face it, SiG, New Glenn ain't gettin' off the pad this year.
ReplyDeleteThere have been rumors of reports that BO can't get their igniters working properly. Without ignition, no fire.
ReplyDeleteThe difference in openness between them and SpaceX is interesting. SpaceX attitude seems to be to share any and everything good or bad; especially the hey guess what we learned from that failure. So very admirable. While BO is lime the Soviets....
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