Verified facts grounded in source documentation.
Blue Origin forecast in 2015 that the BE-4 would be ready by 2017 but had not delivered flight-ready engines needed for Vulcan’s inaugural flight as of the article.
Blue Origin plans to increase its New Shepard flight rate in 2022 compared with 2021.
Blue Origin opened its Launch Site One in the West Texas desert north of Van Horn to the media for the first time on the NS-16 mission.
Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, and Relativity are either building new launch facilities or have announced plans to launch from Cape Canaveral.
Blue Origin intends to deliver flight-qualified BE-4 engines to United Launch Alliance on time for ULA’s planned maiden launch of the Vulcan rocket late 2021.
Blue Origin originally targeted New Glenn’s inaugural launch for 2020 and had delayed it to late 2021 before setting the new 2022 target.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan are also aiming for debut launches in 2021 and are powered by BE-4 methalox engines.
Blue Origin completed its 14th New Shepard mission, NS-14, on 2021-01-14.
As of 2020-12-17, Blue Origin had not provided new public information on the progress of New Glenn development or an estimated date for its first launch.
In February, Blue Origin opened a factory in Huntsville, Alabama to produce BE-4 and BE-3U engines.
Blue Origin opened a factory in February in Huntsville, Alabama to produce engines for New Glenn and for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket.
The U.S. Air Force awarded Launch Service Agreement contracts to Blue Origin for $500 million, to United Launch Alliance for $967 million, and to Northrop Grumman for $762,000,000 to help the companies defray the costs of developing new rockets and infrastructure while competing for a launch service procurement contract.
Blue Origin received the largest single HLS award of $579,000,000.
If delayed, Ariane 6 would join United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket and Blue Origin’s New Glenn in encountering setbacks that pushed their maiden flights to 2021 instead of 2020.
For the Phase 2 competition, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman are developing new launch vehicles with company-stated first-flight readiness in 2021.
United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman are pitching newly designed launch vehicles projected to fly for the first time in 2021 as part of the U.S. NSSL competition.
United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman were developing new launch vehicles for the Phase 2 competition and projected first flights of those rockets in 2021.
Blue Origin has expressed interest in Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex-6 but has not announced firm plans to launch from the West Coast.
Blue Origin received the largest Tipping Point award of $10,000,000 to carry out a ground demonstration of technology to liquefy and store hydrogen and oxygen.
Blue Origin’s BE-4 main engine, which runs on liquid oxygen and liquid methane, has been in development since 2011 and will be tested on the ground prior to Vulcan’s first launch.