US — Ars Technica

Blue Origin says it is building a higher-performing rocket engine at 1/4 the cost

SpaceNovember 6, 20261 min read

Blue Origin, the rocket company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, says it is building a new engine for its New Glenn rocket. The engine is more powerful and should cost about one-quarter as much to build as the engine it replaces.

What happened

Blue Origin announced two big upgrades to its New Glenn rocket at an event in Florida. The first is a new engine called Northstar. It will eventually replace the BE-4 engine in the rocket's first stage, which is the bottom part that provides the first push off the ground. The company also said it is developing a third stage called GS3, which uses hydrogen and oxygen to give the rocket an extra push.

Key numbers and facts

Northstar has half the number of parts of the BE-4 engine.
Northstar weighs 30 percent less than the BE-4.
About 65 percent of Northstar can be 3D-printed.
Blue Origin believes Northstar can cost 25 percent of what a BE-4 costs to make.
The BE-4 has a thrust (push force) of 640,000 pounds. Northstar will start at 715,000 pounds.

How the new engine works

Northstar is a simpler, stronger version of the BE-4. Both engines burn methane fuel with liquid oxygen. Both use a design called oxygen-rich staged combustion, which is a way to mix and burn fuel very efficiently. Blue Origin also said it will keep making the BE-4 for United Launch Alliance, which uses two of these engines to power its Vulcan rocket.

Why it matters

Launching rockets is very expensive, so cheaper parts could make space trips cheaper for everyone. Blue Origin's CEO, Dave Limp, said demand for launches has never been higher. If the company succeeds, it could carry more payloads (the cargo a rocket carries) to space and to the Moon.

What to watch

Whether Northstar finishes its test firings and is ready for flight.
How much money Blue Origin actually saves when it builds the engine.
When the new third stage, GS3, is ready to fly.
Whether New Glenn reaches the high launch numbers the company wants.

Glossary

Blue Origin: A rocket and space company that builds the New Glenn rocket.
New Glenn: A large rocket made by Blue Origin to carry cargo and people to space.
Northstar: A new, simpler and more powerful rocket engine that Blue Origin is testing.
BE-4: The rocket engine that currently powers New Glenn's first stage. It also powers United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket.
GS3: A planned third stage for New Glenn that uses hydrogen and oxygen fuel for extra push.
United Launch Alliance: A company that builds and launches rockets, including the Vulcan rocket.

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