Blue Origin has provided a rare look inside their factory at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) showing hardware for its recent orbital rocket.
The image shared on Instagram shows rocket stage and interstage components and propellant tank domes for the Latest Glenn rocket on the factory floor in Florida. The post provided no details, so it just isn’t known if the image shows test articles or potential flight hardware.
Latest Glenn has been in development for years and, after quite a few delays, may fly for the primary time next 12 months. The rare glimpse at rocket hardware suggests Blue Origin is confident concerning the progress it’s making towards a test launch.
The 2-stage rocket will probably be 322 feet tall (98 meters) long and in a position to lift 14 tons (13 metric tons) to geostationary transfer orbit, and 50 tons (45 metric tons) to low Earth orbit.
The primary stage will probably be powered by seven BE-4 engines. Blue Origin can also be constructing BE-4s for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan launch vehicle.
Latest Glenn may have a reusable first stage and is seen as a possible alternative and competitor to SpaceX’s industry-dominating Falcon 9 rocket.
Blue Origin has a long-term lease for Launch Complex 36 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for Latest Glenn launches, near the production factory.
NASA has signed up Latest Glenn to its fleet of business launchers and the rocket could possibly be used for crewed lunar missions. Blue Origin will construct a second moon lander for NASA’s Artemis astronauts, adding an alternative choice alongside SpaceX’s Starship which was chosen in 2021.