Hotfire test prepares Blue Origin's New Glenn for maiden flight

Hotfire test prepares Blue Origin's New Glenn for maiden flight
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 28, 2024

Blue Origin announced today that its New Glenn rocket has successfully completed an integrated launch vehicle hotfire test, marking the final significant milestone before its inaugural flight. Scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, FL, the NG-1 mission will carry a Blue Ring Pathfinder as its first payload.

The hotfire test, lasting 24 seconds, represented the first time the fully integrated flight vehicle operated as a complete system. Preparations included a multi-day test campaign with inert functional and tanking tests. The integrated setup featured the NG-1 flight vehicle's first and second stages, a payload test article, manufacturing test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter, and a 45,000-pound payload mass simulator.

A primary objective of the campaign was to simulate day-of-launch operations in the NG-1 test configuration. Additionally, engineers validated both vehicle and ground systems during the fully integrated on-pad tests. Data gathered from the campaign will refine launch timelines, confirm expected performance, and align theoretical models with real-world results.

"This is a monumental milestone and a glimpse of what's just around the corner for New Glenn's first launch," said Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President for New Glenn. "Today's success proves that our rigorous approach to testing-combined with our incredible tooling and design engineering-is working as intended."

The tanking test encompassed the full terminal count sequence, including the transfer of authority between systems and fluid validation. During the test, the GS1 first stage tanks were filled with liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LOX), while the GS2 second stage held liquid hydrogen and LOX at flight-representative levels.

A Wet Dress Rehearsal leading up to the hotfire test verified the launch procedures, culminating in a 24-second engine run. During this test, all seven engines operated nominally, including 13 seconds at full thrust. The demonstration also validated New Glenn's autogenous pressurization system, which uses self-generated gases to pressurize the GS1 propellant tanks.

This campaign marked several firsts for New Glenn, including its initial seven-engine operation, the first integrated tanking demonstration for both stages, the first LNG/LOX fill for GS1, and the introduction of chilled helium operations for GS2.

With all test objectives successfully achieved, Blue Origin now focuses on New Glenn's debut flight. The company has multiple vehicles in production and a robust manifest featuring clients such as NASA, Amazon's Project Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile, telecommunications providers, and various U.S. government agencies. Certification for the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program is also underway.