Blue Origin’s integrated New Glenn 3 rocket is about hotfire

Blue Origin has announced that the full-integrated New Glenn launch vehicle is ready for a hotfire test ahead of flight 3. Visuals shared by the company show the transporter erector vehicle taking the New Glenn rocket to the launch pad. Once reached, the vehicle will go vertical and perform a hotfire to verify engine functionality to prove flight readiness.

The New Glenn is the foundation of Blue Origin’s heavy-load payload deployment launch vehicle. It has two stages; the first stage uses seven BE-4 engines, generating more than 640,000 lbf of thrust at sea level with deep-throttle capability.

The first stage is designed for max reusability, which means it will send the payload stage to orbit and perform a hot-staging to return and land on a droneship stationed in the sea.

With the second mission, Blue Origin achieved a successful landing of a first-stage booster, and that is refurbished and will be reused with Flight 3. This is a massive feat for the rocket maker.

Payload

On the other hand, the rocket is loaded with AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite payload. It is a dedicated single-satellite launch mission to low Earth orbit. This new satellite is identical to BlueBird 6, launched in December last year.

It will improve the rocket maker’s space-based cellular broadband network to provide unmodified smartphone connectivity. AST SpaceMobile is planning to grow up to 60+ Block 2 BlueBirds to provide near-continuous global cellular.

For now, Blue Origin hasn’t announced a launch date for New Glenn Flight 3.