New Glenn Launch Manifest

[DrTadd]

First day of summer 2025 is June 20th, iirc.

Given BO had what seemed two boosters in build (good images of two steering sections and two aft sections), and the first booster rolled out in November to the Launch hanger, how long do you think it will take before we see the second booster make the trip?

I’d also say that the team probably is pretty hungry to try again now that the first rocket had a clean launch.

I am going to guess BO will take a month to really sift thru the data and figure out what went wrong with the booster return. I’ve seen theories from unsettled fuel or ice to aliens  .

Of course, no point in moving a new booster if it will need some hardware add ons (like fuel ice filters).

At this point only BO knows if the motors lit properly and were running well for the return from the engine data. I would guess that there was enough instrumented values they can sort the issue if it was the engines.

[tottaway22]

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.

"Here's a quick look at the progress at our production facility in Kirkland, Washington! Late last year, we began shipping flight-ready satellites, and even more have been on their way in recent weeks.

Once they arrive in Florida, these satellites go through final preparations: processing, integration with our dispenser system, encapsulation in a 5-meter Atlas V fairing, and transport to ULA's vertical integration facilities ahead of launch.

We’re thrilled to be one step closer to full-scale deployment and can’t wait to see these advanced satellites deliver fast, reliable connectivity to customers around the globe. 🌍"

"Excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at our satellites shipping out to Cape Canaveral, where they’ll be processed and integrated with our dispenser ahead of launch. From our Ka-band phased array antennas to our active propulsion systems and 100 Gbps laser links, we’re launching some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and we expect the extra invention will pay off for our customers. Lots of work still ahead, but we’re getting closer every day to the start of a full-scale deployment – credit to all the teams across Kuiper for helping deliver on the mission at hand."

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7288290692269776897/

https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/content/?datePosted=%22past-24h%22&keywords=project%20kuiper&origin=FACETED_SEARCH&sid=Jqa

[DanClemmensen]

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.

That's a stretch. It means they can launch on Atlas V. It might mean they can easily also launch on Vulcan, since Vulcan and Atlas V have very similar payload interfaces, integration facilities, etc, and Kuiper has stated that the dispensers are similar. The dispenser for Vulcan is presumed to be taller to accomodate more satellites. It's not instantly clear that this commonality extends to NG. We also know that ULA has 8 Atlas V earmarked for Kuiper and more or less ready to go and planned to launch in 2025, and they intend to achieve a launch rate of 20/yr (Atlas V + Vulcan) by the end of 2025.

[GewoonLukas_]

Another Blue Ring Pathfinder is scheduled to launch this year. First operational Blue Ring mission will be next 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.

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1884276211976921180

[AndrewM]

Another Blue Ring Pathfinder is scheduled to launch this year. First operational Blue Ring mission will be next 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.

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1884276211976921180

Hmmm 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.

[trimeta]

Another Blue Ring Pathfinder is scheduled to launch this year. First operational Blue Ring mission will be next 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.

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1884276211976921180

Hmmm 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 second pathfinder supposed to deploy, or will it also remain attached to the upper stage? Because in the latter case, it can comanifest with any launch that's got excess payload capacity (and EscaPADE sounds like a reasonable guess).

[tottaway22]

AST SpaceMobile during their conference call last night stated that starting late 2025 they hope to launch with New Glenn every 45 days. Appears they are planning on 1-2 NG launches later this year and then 8-10 in 2026.

"With the New Glenn, we can launch up to eight satellites per launch, that pretty much double the cadence of what is possible with the Falcon 9 and we expect later in the year to start moving to a launch cadence of around one launch every 45 days on the New Glenn. We have other launches also that have been secured in advance to that."

[Vultur]

Is the next launch supposed to be Blue Moon pathfinder in NET August, or is something else between now and then?

[JCRM]

Is 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?

[Vultur]

Is 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.

[trimeta]

Is 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.

[DrTadd]

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.

I could agree with you except for in the now old everyday astronaut video, it was quite clear that BO had two interstages and two engine modules built side by side. One got finished and was used in January. The other pair can’t be unfinished at this point. And those are the complicated bits.

I’d bet there are going to be two launches. Moon and escapade.

I think it was Limp who said the first three are R&D launches and they would fly whatever including a mass sim. So if that’s the case, then I can see trying for the moon….given you are flying anyways!

[meekGee]

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.

[DrTadd]

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.

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.

[meekGee]

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.

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.

Different groups within the same org are equally prone to this... "Yes we'll be ready on time, boss"...

(In any org)

[StraumliBlight]

Eric Berger's prediction for the next launch.

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.