Looks like Project Kuiper has shipped first Satellites to the Cape, not clear if for Blue Origin or ULA. Edit - in another post it appears they are set for ULA Atlas V, but also means they should be able to launch on BO this year.
Kicking off the “Expanding Launch Capacity for Assured Access To Space” panel, Lars Hoffman, VP, National Security Sales, @blueorigin touts first New Glenn launch and the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload on the NG-1 mission.He says that they have another pathfinder mission in 2025 with the fully operational Blue Ring ready by the end of the year with its first operational mission in 2026.He also notes that the suborbital New Shepard NS-29 mission is set to launch today as well from Texas.
Another Blue Ring Pathfinder is scheduled to launch this year. First operational Blue Ring mission will be next year:QuoteKicking off the “Expanding Launch Capacity for Assured Access To Space” panel, Lars Hoffman, VP, National Security Sales, @blueorigin touts first New Glenn launch and the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload on the NG-1 mission.He says that they have another pathfinder mission in 2025 with the fully operational Blue Ring ready by the end of the year with its first operational mission in 2026.He also notes that the suborbital New Shepard NS-29 mission is set to launch today as well from Texas.https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1884276211976921180
Quote from: GewoonLukas_ on 01/28/2025 04:03 pmAnother Blue Ring Pathfinder is scheduled to launch this year. First operational Blue Ring mission will be next year:QuoteKicking off the “Expanding Launch Capacity for Assured Access To Space” panel, Lars Hoffman, VP, National Security Sales, @blueorigin touts first New Glenn launch and the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload on the NG-1 mission.He says that they have another pathfinder mission in 2025 with the fully operational Blue Ring ready by the end of the year with its first operational mission in 2026.He also notes that the suborbital New Shepard NS-29 mission is set to launch today as well from Texas.https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1884276211976921180Hmmm I wonder if it will launch on New Glenn again or go back to rideshare with a GPS launch as was initially planned for the 1st pathfinder. I guess they could potentially launch it with EscaPADE as well.
Is the next launch supposed to be Blue Moon pathfinder in NET August, or is something else between now and then?
Quote from: Vultur on 03/11/2025 01:59 pmIs the next launch supposed to be Blue Moon pathfinder in NET August, or is something else between now and then?August might be "late spring" in Blue terminology?
Quote from: JCRM on 03/11/2025 03:29 pmQuote from: Vultur on 03/11/2025 01:59 pmIs the next launch supposed to be Blue Moon pathfinder in NET August, or is something else between now and then?August might be "late spring" in Blue terminology?That's what I was wondering ... Same launch now delayed to Aug, or two different launches?January to August feels like a large gap.
Does it? For a new rocket from a company with no prior orbital heritage (and with a history of "step by step"), I thought having a second launch within 12 months of the first was optimistic.
Guys, for all rockets and all rocket vendors, the statements made by the payload vendors will always be optimistic because of the well documented "launch chicken" effect.It's a little bit different in the opposite direction because if the payload is chronically late, the rocket people can always queue up the next payload. Not so easy for the payload people to switch rockets if the rocket's late.
Quote from: meekGee on 03/13/2025 04:19 pmGuys, for all rockets and all rocket vendors, the statements made by the payload vendors will always be optimistic because of the well documented "launch chicken" effect.It's a little bit different in the opposite direction because if the payload is chronically late, the rocket people can always queue up the next payload. Not so easy for the payload people to switch rockets if the rocket's late.But the moon shot is internal to BO. I would think then being vertically integrated, the next NG launch date is then wholly dictated by BO. I am not 100% certain, but I do not think beyond ESCAPADE (cause BO offered cheap!) there was any other paying customer payload to go up on the first three 'test' rockets.It is interesting that ULA can flip the script and change LVs to get another customer payload into orbit while Vulcan is dealing with the .mil review.
Q: What is your prediction for next NG launch?erberger: Thanksgiving.
erberger: I have heard some interesting things about negotiations over the Escapade launch that I'm not ready to report publicly. It's possible the next launch is Escapade, but also not. As for Blue Moon, I'd be absolutely shocked if it flew in 2025. I'd be thrilled to see it go next year, for that matter.
Space Systems Command awards National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contractsApril 4, 2025Space Systems Command awarded three National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts April 4.These Firm Fixed-Price, Indefinite-Delivery Requirements contracts were awarded to SpaceX, United Launch Services, and Blue Origin to provide critical space support to meet national security objectives.Anticipated values for these contracts are $5,923,580,297 for SpaceX, $5,366,439,406 for United Launch Services, and $2,386,234,812 for Blue Origin.[...]SpaceX, as the Requirement 1 provider, is anticipated to be awarded 28 missions or about 60% and ULA, as the Requirement 2 provider, is anticipated to be awarded 19 missions or about 40% of the Phase 3 Lane 2 missions from FY25 to FY29. Blue Origin, as the Requirement 3 provider is projected to be awarded seven Phase 3 Lane 2 missions starting in Order Year 2.Mission awards in FY25–FY29 are projected to have a nominal two-year integration resulting in launches from FY27–FY32.SSC, in partnership with the NRO, will conduct the Phase 3 Lane 2 Mission Assignment Board to assign the FY25 Order Year 1 missions, and will make those announcements separately following completion of that process, and then in October of each subsequent order year.
Blue Origin won a contract today to serve as a National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 heavy-lift provider for the nation’s most critical missions. We’re proud to support the Department of Defense and the National Reconnaissance Office in this effort. The award marks an important step to expand the choice of launch providers and sustained competition for assured access to space. For more information about today’s award, go here. “It's an honor and huge responsibility to team with the U.S. Government to launch our nation’s most important assets,” said Jarrett Jones, SVP, New Glenn. “Through this partnership, we’re looking forward to delivering on a number of critical national security priorities.” This contract tasks New Glenn with missions to stressing orbits requiring higher performance launch systems and full mission assurance as a Space Systems Command (SSC)-certified launch vehicle. The payloads delivered will support our nation’s strategic advantage in space. This is the third national security launch-related contract we've been awarded in the past year. In June 2024, Blue Origin won a contract to compete for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 missions. We also won a contract in July 2024 to compete for missions in the Orbital Services Program (OSP)-4, which allows New Glenn to compete for task orders intended to put capabilities on orbit within two years. January’s NG-1 launch was our first NSSL certification flight, and we expect to fly NG-2 in late spring.
Quote from: gongora on 05/06/2025 12:06 am0511-EX-CN-2025QuoteUFO-Odyssey will demonstrate rapid response to requirements for on-orbit testing and verification of optical and computational experiments. The experiments include imaging of other spacecraft during and immediately after deployment, data communications, and computer networking & edge processing.The spacecraft will be launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NET 1 August 2025. It will be inserted into a 470 km circular orbit with an inclination of 54 degrees. It will be deployed concurrently with two NASA R5 spacecraft (R5-S3 and R5-S5) and immediately begin imaging their deployment for RPOD and mission assurance purposes. After this testing of onboard processing and data communications will begin, and will continue for the duration of the mission.The NET August 1st launch date and inclination (55°) seem to match up with the DarkSky-1-2 launch.Quote from: Salo on 05/03/2025 08:22 amTBD - ELaNa 42: DARLA, OrCa2, R5-S3, R5-S5, TechEdSat-16 - TBD - VandenbergVandenberg should be updated to LC-36.R5-S3 and R5-S5 were manifested on Firefly Alpha, with a NET May 2025 launch date. Maybe the recent launch failure caused the switch?
0511-EX-CN-2025QuoteUFO-Odyssey will demonstrate rapid response to requirements for on-orbit testing and verification of optical and computational experiments. The experiments include imaging of other spacecraft during and immediately after deployment, data communications, and computer networking & edge processing.The spacecraft will be launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NET 1 August 2025. It will be inserted into a 470 km circular orbit with an inclination of 54 degrees. It will be deployed concurrently with two NASA R5 spacecraft (R5-S3 and R5-S5) and immediately begin imaging their deployment for RPOD and mission assurance purposes. After this testing of onboard processing and data communications will begin, and will continue for the duration of the mission.
UFO-Odyssey will demonstrate rapid response to requirements for on-orbit testing and verification of optical and computational experiments. The experiments include imaging of other spacecraft during and immediately after deployment, data communications, and computer networking & edge processing.The spacecraft will be launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NET 1 August 2025. It will be inserted into a 470 km circular orbit with an inclination of 54 degrees. It will be deployed concurrently with two NASA R5 spacecraft (R5-S3 and R5-S5) and immediately begin imaging their deployment for RPOD and mission assurance purposes. After this testing of onboard processing and data communications will begin, and will continue for the duration of the mission.
TBD - ELaNa 42: DARLA, OrCa2, R5-S3, R5-S5, TechEdSat-16 - TBD - Vandenberg
