Blue Origin's Return to Flight after Rocket Failure Sparks Excitement, More than a Year Later
Blue Origin's tourism rocket, after a year-long recovery from a failed uncrewed test flight, is set to return to flight Excitingly, the company also has the promising New Glenn on the horizon
Subscribe to CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter for the latest news on captivating discoveries, scientific progress, and more. Plus, catch the return of Blue Origin's tourism rocket on Monday as it aims to take paying customers on short trips to the edge of space after a year of recovery from a previous unsuccessful test flight.
The New Shepard rocket is set to launch on an uncrewed science mission at 8:30 a.m. CT (9:30 a.m. ET) from Blue Origin's facilities at a private ranch in West Texas. The company will broadcast the event live on its website.
While there won't be any passengers on the flight, a successful mission could pave the way for Blue Origin to resume its space trips for adventurous thrill seekers.
On September 12, 2022, a batch of science instruments was set to launch aboard a New Shepard rocket and spacecraft. However, just one minute into the flight, the rocket experienced Max Q - a moment of maximum stress on the vehicle at a relatively low altitude and thick atmosphere, while moving at nearly the speed of sound.
At this point, the rocket emitted a large burst of flames and the New Shepard capsule, situated atop the rocket, activated its launch abort system, using a small engine to safely propel itself away from the malfunctioning rocket. The system performed as designed, allowing the capsule to parachute to a secure landing.
On May 21, 2023, the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) embarked on its journey to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule, lifting off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, U.S. The mission was carrying 4 crew members. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
Joe Skipper/Reuters
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Blue Origin later announced that the engine nozzle was the source of the failure, causing the onboard computers to shut down the engine after accurately detecting the problem. The company confirmed that there were no injuries reported on the ground and stated that the science payloads and capsule were still viable for future flights.
The rocket crashed to the ground and was destroyed after its engine malfunctioned. Usually, the rocket booster is able to land safely for future use after a New Shepard launch. Bezos revealed in an interview with Lex Fridman on Thursday that the escape system that ejected the capsule to safety is the most challenging engineering feat in the entire rocket, but it gives him the confidence to allow anyone to board New Shepard.
Bezos emphasized that the rocket booster is designed to be as safe and reliable as possible. He acknowledged the immense power density and the inherent impossibility of guaranteeing that nothing will go wrong. As a result, he emphasized the necessity of an escape system to improve safety.
In terms of tourism vehicles, Bezos believed that they should be designed to be as safe as possible, while also acknowledging that achieving perfect safety is impossible.
What went wrong
Before the September 2022 failure, New Shepard rockets had flown 22 consecutive successful missionsincluding six with passengers on board. Bezos flew aboard the rocket in 2021.
The Federal Aviation Administration, responsible for licensing commercial rocket launches and ensuring public safety, conducted an investigation into the failure. The probe discovered that the engine nozzle failed due to higher temperatures than anticipated by the company.
To address the problem, Blue Origin made "design changes to the combustion chamber" - the part of the engine where fuel mixes with oxidizer - and adjusted "operating parameters," the data used to model safe flights.
Jeff Bezos attends "The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power" World Premiere in Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Jeff Bezos is leaving Seattle for Miami
In a statement released in March, the company reported that further adjustments to the nozzle design have enhanced its ability to withstand thermal and dynamic loads. The FAA has completed its investigation into the incident, stating that Blue Origin must carry out 21 "corrective actions" before resuming flights. However, specific details of these actions were not disclosed as the report contains confidential information and is not available to the public.
Blue Origin is quickly working on their next big project, New Glenn, a massive rocket designed to transport satellites and other large payloads into orbit. This comes as their New Shepard's return to flight is on the horizon.
The rocket has been delayed for years. The BE-4 engines that will power the New Glenn rocket booster will also be used in a new line of rockets developed by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The new Vulcan Centaur rocket is scheduled to launch its first mission in January, delivering a NASA-sponsored lander to the moon. Similarly, New Glenn is preparing for an important first launch, potentially carrying a NASA satellite to study the magnetized area of space around Mars next year.
During a recent podcast interview, Bezos confessed to feeling "extremely nervous" about the inaugural launch of New Glenn. "Every time I attend a launch, whether it's for New Shepard or other vehicles, I always feel nervous," he admitted. "To not be nervous about a first launch would be a sign of madness."
