Author Topic: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine  (Read 1149282 times)

Online Vettedrmr

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1900 on: 09/16/2022 12:16 am »
I still would like to know when Berger spoke to Rye since buried deep in the article is this:

"In fact, the first flight engine had to be sent back to Blue Origin's production facilities in Kent, Washington, after a minor problem was found on the test stand. ULA's director of external communications, Jessica Rye, said the flight engine presently in Washington is expected to leave for Texas "shortly." She confirmed that the other flight engine is undergoing "final acceptance testing" in Texas before shipment to Alabama.

"We are very pleased with where we are from a technical standpoint with the new BE-4 engines, and its great performance," Rye said."


1. The quote isn't "buried deep", it's in the first section.
2. Your answer is literally in the next paragraph (I'm assuming you really want to know when the problem was found, not when Berger talked to his source): early August.
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Offline Robert_the_Doll

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1901 on: 09/16/2022 02:32 am »
I still would like to know when Berger spoke to Rye since buried deep in the article is this:

"In fact, the first flight engine had to be sent back to Blue Origin's production facilities in Kent, Washington, after a minor problem was found on the test stand. ULA's director of external communications, Jessica Rye, said the flight engine presently in Washington is expected to leave for Texas "shortly." She confirmed that the other flight engine is undergoing "final acceptance testing" in Texas before shipment to Alabama.

"We are very pleased with where we are from a technical standpoint with the new BE-4 engines, and its great performance," Rye said."


1. The quote isn't "buried deep", it's in the first section.
2. Your answer is literally in the next paragraph (I'm assuming you really want to know when the problem was found, not when Berger talked to his source): early August.

I specifically bold highlighted Rye's answer that FE-1 was due to go back to Corn Ranch. If the engine was due shortly when he talked to her, did he call her a day before for comment before going "to press" or did he talk to her several days ago while putting the article together? For all we know, he talked to her several days ago and FE-1 is back in Texas and therefore it is prudent to keep an eye out for the telltale signs in the satellite of its ATP.
« Last Edit: 09/16/2022 04:44 pm by Robert_the_Doll »

Offline sdsds

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1902 on: 09/16/2022 02:48 am »
For all we know, he talked to her several days ago and FE-1 is back in Texas and therefore it is prudent to keep an eye out for the telltale signs in the satellite of its ATP.

Were FE-1 tested on the same stand previously used for FE-2 would satellite imagery detect any additional change in the surrounding terrain?
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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1903 on: 09/16/2022 01:38 pm »

Were FE-1 tested on the same stand previously used for FE-2 would satellite imagery detect any additional change in the surrounding terrain?

I do believe that the engines use the same test stand; otherwise we wouldn't have had the comments about FE-2 moving up in testing while FE-1 was/is being repaired.
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Offline Robert_the_Doll

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1904 on: 09/16/2022 07:47 pm »

Were FE-1 tested on the same stand previously used for FE-2 would satellite imagery detect any additional change in the surrounding terrain?

I do believe that the engines use the same test stand; otherwise we wouldn't have had the comments about FE-2 moving up in testing while FE-1 was/is being repaired.

We have seen two engines occupying both test cells at the same time:

https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1526600808720019456

So it is possible for them to have had both or preparing to have both at XEEx with FE-1 firing first, followed closely by FE-2 and then both get delivered as a pair or within days of each other rather than sent weeks apart.

Offline Vahe231991

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Offline whitelancer64

Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1906 on: 09/22/2022 10:43 pm »
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-16/bezos-s-rocket-engine-nears-debut-ending-us-reliance-on-russia?leadSource=uverify%20wall

Relevant quotes from the article:

"Now, the US Space Force is expressing optimism, saying in a statement that “Vulcan launch system development activities continue to make progress” toward a first test launch by December because “ULA and Blue Origin have completed originally planned BE-4 development testing, and have successfully demonstrated full engine performance.”

and

“The first BE-4 flight engine is undergoing acceptance testing at Blue Origin’s facilities in Van Horn, Texas,” company spokesman William Boyington said in a statement. “Once final acceptance testing is completed, flight engines will be delivered to ULA, with full-rate BE-4 production already underway.”
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Offline Robert_the_Doll

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1907 on: 09/23/2022 09:55 am »
“The first BE-4 flight engine is undergoing acceptance testing at Blue Origin’s facilities in Van Horn, Texas,” company spokesman William Boyington said in a statement. “Once final acceptance testing is completed, flight engines will be delivered to ULA, with full-rate BE-4 production already underway.”

Is this FE-1 or is this a generic reference to FE-2 (which technically is now the first engine in the line up)?

If it is FE-1, it is interesting since Berger's Ars Technica article came out just three days prior and thus Rye's "shortly." statement with regards to it being shipped back to Texas has been been validated.
« Last Edit: 09/23/2022 10:38 am by Robert_the_Doll »

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1908 on: 09/23/2022 05:32 pm »
Since no press release has been made about FE-2 completing its acceptance testing (does anyone have an update?), I assume it's still on the stand.  No idea if FE-1 is back on the stand in TX.
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Offline meekGee

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1909 on: 09/25/2022 12:02 am »
Since no press release has been made about FE-2 completing its acceptance testing (does anyone have an update?), I assume it's still on the stand.  No idea if FE-1 is back on the stand in TX.
All we really know is that FE-1 failed before even firing, that they switched to FE-2 and maybe fired it some, but that so far nobody said "FE-2 passed acceptable testing".

Another week and we're into October.

Maybe FE-2 is ok but acceptance testing is taking a while since it's the first one. Maybe FE-1 is already fixed and is back on a second test stand. Maybe a lot of things, but there's no evidence to support any of them.
« Last Edit: 09/25/2022 05:48 pm by meekGee »
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Offline WindnWar

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1910 on: 09/25/2022 05:29 am »
Since no press release has been made about FE-2 completing its acceptance testing (does anyone have an update?), I assume it's still on the stand.  No idea if FE-1 is back on the stand in TX.
All we really know is that FE-1 failed before even firing, that they switched to the FE-2 and maybe fired it some, but that so far nobody said "FE 2 passed acceptable testing".

Another week and we're into October.

Maybe FE-2 is ok but acceptable testing is taking a while since it's the first one. Maybe FE-1 is already fixed and is back on a second test stand. Maybe a lot of things, but there's no evidence to support any of them.

As with all things BE-4 I've learned not to hold my breath. When it arrives at ULA and is finally bolted to a Vulcan then we'll know for sure, till then I expect no date to be accurate.

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1911 on: 09/26/2022 07:37 pm »
https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1574482099981148160

Quote
I'm hearing good things about Blue Origin's testing of the second BE-4 flight engine, which United Launch Alliance is eagerly waiting for. First flight engine should ship back to Texas soon. Hopefully Blue will release some images or video of the BE-4 in action

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1912 on: 09/26/2022 07:52 pm »
First flight engine should ship back to Texas soon.

My initial thought was "dang, that "minor assembly issue" sure is taking a long time to correct.  Then I look back and the tweet commenting on that was August 27th, so just about a month.  Probably not too bad for shipping, receiving, correcting, verifying, etc.

IF FE-2's acceptance tests take a month, then hopefully FE-1 will complete by maybe Thanksgiving?
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Offline jstrotha0975

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1913 on: 09/26/2022 09:36 pm »
When will ULA have at least the first flight engine delivered to them?

Offline Robert_the_Doll

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1914 on: 09/26/2022 11:25 pm »
First flight engine should ship back to Texas soon.

My initial thought was "dang, that "minor assembly issue" sure is taking a long time to correct.  Then I look back and the tweet commenting on that was August 27th, so just about a month.  Probably not too bad for shipping, receiving, correcting, verifying, etc.

IF FE-2's acceptance tests take a month, then hopefully FE-1 will complete by maybe Thanksgiving?

This assumes there was not a delay to FE-2's testing by the NS-23 launch failure and possible subsequent double-checking that may have occurred in the aftermath of that incident as well as the discovery of the issue with FE-1 before that.

It also needs to be kept in mind that there was also severe weather in Texas that delayed NS-23 almost two weeks, and that might also have contributed to delays in testing FE-2.

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1915 on: 09/27/2022 12:36 am »
When will ULA have at least the first flight engine delivered to them?

After it completes its acceptance testing.  Right now FE-2 is in the lead.
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Offline xyv

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1916 on: 09/27/2022 01:33 am »
First flight engine should ship back to Texas soon.

My initial thought was "dang, that "minor assembly issue" sure is taking a long time to correct.  Then I look back and the tweet commenting on that was August 27th, so just about a month.  Probably not too bad for shipping, receiving, correcting, verifying, etc.

IF FE-2's acceptance tests take a month, then hopefully FE-1 will complete by maybe Thanksgiving?

I think your initial thought is correct.  Shipping? This is the most important visible thing going on in your company for a very important customer.  If Blue didn't charter a flight to return the engine it better be because it can only be shipped on land.  Even so, a day and a half back to Washington and receiving??? non existant - the engineers will be there waiting to escort it back to the build area for repair.  So most of a month...for a "minor assembly issue".  As I said, your initial thought is correct here.

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1917 on: 09/27/2022 01:40 am »
I think your initial thought is correct.  Shipping? This is the most important visible thing going on in your company for a very important customer.  If Blue didn't charter a flight to return the engine it better be because it can only be shipped on land.  Even so, a day and a half back to Washington and receiving??? non existant - the engineers will be there waiting to escort it back to the build area for repair.  So most of a month...for a "minor assembly issue".  As I said, your initial thought is correct here.

Ah, but you're completely forgetting the bureaucracy that goes with building something like this (and IMO BO is really good at bureaucracy).
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1918 on: 09/28/2022 01:20 pm »
As usual, excellent observations by Harry:

twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1575111924802416642

Quote
Satellite imagery shows that Blue Origin fired a BE-4 engine sometime between the 22nd and 24th of September.

This is almost one month after the last sign of a firing, which occurred between the 26th and 27th of August.

https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1575111940501667840

Quote
This is also seen in Sentinel-2 imagery which you can browse on @soar_earth for free: api.soar.earth/short/s41r1417…

Offline Robert_the_Doll

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Re: Blue Origin's BE-4 Engine
« Reply #1919 on: 09/28/2022 04:34 pm »
As usual, excellent observations by Harry:

twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1575111924802416642

Quote
Satellite imagery shows that Blue Origin fired a BE-4 engine sometime between the 22nd and 24th of September.

This is almost one month after the last sign of a firing, which occurred between the 26th and 27th of August.

https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1575111940501667840

Quote
This is also seen in Sentinel-2 imagery which you can browse on @soar_earth for free: api.soar.earth/short/s41r1417…

If this is not FE-1 or 2, then I am going to guess that this is a qualification engine firing.

 

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