Updates Blue Origin New Shepard News and Updates

[Andy44]

One is suborbital tourism, the other is orbital payload delivery. Apples and oranges.

 

[DaveS]

One is suborbital tourism, the other is orbital payload delivery. Apples and oranges.

The sub-orbital tourism is just a stepping stone. An orbital version of the New Shepard is on the drawing boards and will be launched from CCAFS/KSC. Blue Origin has acquired a large land area on KSC property that will be home to the factory that will manufacture the launch vehicle as well a several test stands.

Here's the announcement video:

 

[Urwumpe]

One is suborbital tourism, the other is orbital payload delivery. Apples and oranges.

Yeah. It is a lot like DSC Arminia Bielefeld expressing their heartfelt sympathy to FC Bayern Munich on twitter: "We would really love to lose the champions league semifinal one day"

 

[Andy44]

The sub-orbital tourism is just a stepping stone. An orbital version of the New Shepard is on the drawing boards and will be launched from CCAFS/KSC. Blue Origin has acquired a large land area on KSC property that will be home to the factory that will manufacture the launch vehicle as well a several test stands.

Here's the announcement video:
Blue Origin To Launch from Cape Canaveral - YouTube

That's great, but Blue Origin isn't even close yet. Still a huge difference in velocities, altitudes, energy, and safety concerns.

At this point, it's like comparing the X-15 to the X-20 DynaSoar or the Space Shuttle.

 

[Urwumpe]

That's great, but Blue Origin isn't even close yet. Still a huge difference in velocities, altitudes, energy, and safety concerns.

At this point, it's like comparing the X-15 to the X-20 DynaSoar or the Space Shuttle.

Sure, but then, I would not bet on SpaceX too soon, they have chosen the harder and more expensive way to it (More expensive and less testable flight-hardware, but possible profits already during test flights). Blue Origin could maybe really have a mature reuse process before SpaceX for orbital missions.

Still, I doubt that the rivalry between the two is as fierce as it appears. Jeff Bezos maybe enjoys being the underdog this time a bit too much, but it still looks more like a banter.

 

[Andy44]

I'm not "betting" on SpaceX, or taking sides. I'm just pointing out that they are in two different flight regimes, and two different business models.

Jeff Bezos is really competing more with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic than he is with Musk. And given the setbacks and delays with SpaceShipTwo, including two fatal accidents and no actual spaceflights to date, Blue Origin seems to have a good lead on the competition.

 

[Urwumpe]

I'm not "betting" on SpaceX, or taking sides. I'm just pointing out that they are in two different flight regimes, and two different business models.

Jeff Bezos is really competing more with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic than he is with Musk. And given the setbacks and delays with SpaceShipTwo, including two fatal accidents and no actual spaceflights to date, Blue Origin seems to have a good lead on the competition.

Well, I see Bezos going orbital as well soon - maybe Blue Origin is now no competition for SpaceX, but the plan is there and the intermediate results become visible.

Does somebody remember when the first job offers appeared on the Blue Origin homepage? I think we had been already in the Orbiter 2010 era then.

---------- Post added at 09:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 PM ----------

OK, I have to take a few things back, that I said without properly considering contrary evidence. Its possible to beat Musk in his favourite discipline:

Amazon Founder, Jeff Bezos, Wants to Build Factories in Space in an Attempt to Save Earth

 

[Col_Klonk]

Did you understand the Latin quote? (The German and English translations also exist, but both are based on the same Latin)

No, I don't speak/read Latin, so ignored it... but I see it means very much the same thing.

It looks like Bezos will probably be first to start a fully reusable system.
I've always liked their approach, compared to the fanfare of SpaceX.

If you take SpaceX's Falcon 9, make it slightly wider (The payload fairings are wider), shorten it, and you can have a scaled up Blue Origin rocket with more engines, doing the same thing.

I reckon it's just a short hop-skip-jump to the first BO orbital rocket.
We'll see.

 

[RisingFury]

SpaceX has a massive lead. They might be a year away from flying their first reused core to orbit.

Oh and... yea, SpaceX is in orbit. BO isn't even near yet.

BO landing vertically in the same area they took off from is easy in comparison to landing on a ship in the middle of the ocean

 

[Urwumpe]

SpaceX has a massive lead. They might be a year away from flying their first reused core to orbit.

For which price? Right now they are right at the edge of the envelope of physics already with their flights, often a step beyond. We can't even yet talk about staying within the envelope of economics.

And how often could they fly a reused core?

 

[Col_Klonk]

SpaceX has a massive lead. They might be a year away from flying their first reused core to orbit.

Oh and... yea, SpaceX is in orbit. BO isn't even near yet.

BO landing vertically in the same area they took off from is easy in comparison to landing on a ship in the middle of the ocean

I'd say they even, but coming from opposite directions, but I'll give the edge to BO as they've reused their stages.. SpaceX still has to learn (do) that.

Both land vertically.. and on the X (where ever X is).. so there's no advantage there.

 

[RisingFury]

I'd say they even, but coming from opposite directions, but I'll give the edge to BO as they've reused their stages.. SpaceX still has to learn (do) that.

Both land vertically.. and on the X (where ever X is).. so there's no advantage there.

BO doesn't go orbital. You're comparing a bike with training wheels to a Ferrari F1 car.

And landing on solid ground is easier, seeing as how solid ground doesn't usually move - and is larger...

 

[Urwumpe]

BO doesn't go orbital. You're comparing a bike with training wheels to a Ferrari F1 car.

And landing on solid ground is easier, seeing as how solid ground doesn't usually move - and is larger...

Just that the bike with training wheels lands intact, while the F1 car has to be tugged over the finish line. :lol:

SpaceX does not yet reuse their stages, they eventually will around the end of this year, but even then, it is not sure how the future will turn out - it could still happen that SpaceX suffers another setback there.

 

[Col_Klonk]

Before any of them get excited about sending people into space.. they should check out the weather... ??
http://www.solarham.net/

 

[Donamy]

You know what they say about the weather. Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.

 

[Urwumpe]

You know what they say about the weather. Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.

Weather: Always a reason to complain about since 19000 BC.

 

[Donamy]

Right, not much to talk about, in an ice age.

 

[Urwumpe]

Right, not much to talk about, in an ice age.

"In my youth, the snow used to be much whiter than it is today"...

 

[Notebook]

When I was a lad, it was all fields round here...


N.

 

[Urwumpe]

Not sure if they ever did this before but:

Watch the fourth flight of the same New Shepard hardware this Sunday. Liftoff is planned for approximately 10:15 am ET and the live webcast starts half an hour earlier at 9:45 am ET at www.blueorigin.com.

On this flight, we’ll intentionally fail one string of parachutes on the capsule. There are three strings of chutes and two of the three should still deploy nominally and, along with our retrothrust system, safely land the capsule. Works on paper, and this test is designed to validate that. We’ll also use this flight to continue pushing the envelope on the booster.

As always, this is a development test flight and anything can happen.

Watching a rocket launch (and rocket landing!) might add a little extra fun with the kids on Father’s Day -- enjoy.

Gradatim Ferociter!

Jeff Bezos

There will be a live stream on a New Shepard launch this sunday.