Blue Origin’s Increased Activity at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, is picking up the pace at its Florida launch site, the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.
New Shepard Rocket
Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket has been undergoing significant testing and development at the facility. The reusable suborbital rocket is designed to take passengers to the edge of space, and to allow researchers to conduct experiments in microgravity at an affordable price.
The company successfully conducted its 11th test flight of the New Shepard rocket on May 2nd, 2019. The rocket flew to an altitude of 346,406 feet or 66 miles, surpassing the company’s goal of reaching 350,000 feet with this mission. It has plans to launch Blue Moon, a lunar lander, to the moon by 2024.
Flying Test Article Rocket
Blue Origin is also developing the Flying Test Article (FTA) rocket, which is designed to test the systems and capabilities that will be used on the firm’s upcoming New Glenn reusable heavy-lift rocket. The rocket measures 60 feet in length and 22 feet in diameter.
The FTA rocket completed its first test flight on September 12th, 2019. It reached a maximum altitude of 338,000 feet or 64 miles. The FTA rocket will be followed by the New Glenn, which will be capable of carrying up to 45 metric tons of payload into low Earth orbit.
Blue Origin and its Competitors
Blue Origin is not the only company developing reusable rockets. SpaceX, founded by Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has been making waves in the industry with its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
However, Blue Origin seems to be making progress at a faster pace than its competitors. The company’s aggressive development timeline and its goal of making access to space more affordable could make it a major player in the aerospace industry.
Conclusion
Blue Origin is accelerating its programs at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Its development of the New Shepard and Flying Test Article rockets will bring the company one step closer to its ultimate goals in space innovation. With this level of activity, the aerospace world is waiting with bated breath to see what other feats Blue Origin will accomplish.