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Blue Origin says it is building a higher-performing rocket engine at 1/4 the cost
Ars Technica • • business
Key Points:
- Blue Origin announced upgrades to its New Glenn rocket, including a new Northstar engine and a hydrogen-oxygen third stage (GS3), aiming to reduce manufacturing costs and increase payload capacity for geostationary orbit and lunar missions.
- The Northstar engine, a simplified and more powerful successor to the BE-4, features 30% less mass, 65% 3D-printed parts, and is expected to cost 25% less to produce, with assembly times under one day.
- The GS3 third stage, made primarily of lightweight composites and powered by the BE-7 engine using liquid hydrogen and oxygen, will enable direct injection to geostationary orbit and Earth-escape trajectories, significantly increasing payload capacity.
- Blue Origin overcame challenges related to hydrogen containment in large composite tanks through successful high-pressure testing, boosting confidence in the GS3 stage's viability for a planned 2028 debut with a government customer.
- CEO Dave Limp highlighted the unprecedented demand for launches and the company's goal to eventually enable New Glenn to launch over 1,000 times annually, positioning Blue Origin as a major player in the space launch market.
