Cape Canaveral, FL – Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, conducted a crucial static fire test of its New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) in Cape Canaveral last night at 7:45pm. This test was the next necessary step in the development of one of the most anticipated new rockets on the Space Coast. New Glenn’s successful maiden flight will usher in a new era of heavy-lift capable rockets.
Preparation for the test began early in the morning cloaked by thick fog, clouds and drizzling rain. By late afternoon the fog lifted, and the skies cleared a bit making it possible to clearly observe the bright orange burning flare stacks and venting by the rocket. Several times during the afternoon the countdown was within seconds of ignition before being aborted. Finally, on the last opportunity of the day—Ignition. The static fire test involved igniting all seven BE-4 engines of New Glenn’s first stage simultaneously while the rocket was anchored to the launch pad. The engines, which use liquid oxygen and methane, roared to life for approximately 24 seconds, with 13 of those seconds at full thrust. This test was not only a demonstration of the engines’ performance but also validated the rocket’s unique pressurization system, which is crucial for maintaining tank pressure using gases generated from the propellants themselves.
