Amazon's Blue Origin Gets First Aerospace Customer; Reusable Rocket To Be Named "New Glenn"
The aerospace venture by Amazon, Blue Origin, got its first customer shortly after it released the video footage of its reusable rocket. The private space company set-up by Jeff Bezos has uploaded the images of the rocket in social media. Incidentally, the firm got Eutelsat Communications as its first customer, and it will launch a geostationary satellite to space in 2021 or 2022.
The new rocket has given the name New Glenn, a tribute to John Glenn, the first NASA astronaut to revolve around the earth. According to reports, the New Glenn is coming up with a two stage and three stage versions. Interestingly, the firm has posted a video showing how the rocket is being launched including the way it works in the initial stage. The animated video shows the launch of the rocket, carrying the satellite to space, place it in orbit comfortably, return and land on the landing pad setup on a ship.
1st BE-4 engine fully assembled. 2nd and 3rd following close behind. #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/duE4Tnzvkx
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) March 6, 2017
The New Glenn rockets are powered by 7 BE-4 rocket engines designed by the firm, and the two stage engines will be using BE-4. If there is a third stage, it will utilize the BE-3 engine. The BE-4 engines are utilizing LNG and liquid oxygen as both propellant and oxidizer. It gives a thrust of 550,000 pounds and ensures oxygen-rich combustion. Eutelsat Communications is a European based satellite communication provider with coverage across Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and the America.
It is reported that Jeff has spent an additional $500 million for the development of rockets in the firm, which was founded in 2000. The New Glenn is scheduled to start its flights by 2020 and will use the Launch Complex 36 located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as the launch pad. The firm of more than 1,000 employees, is aiming to be a rival to SpaceX in space missions, its New Glenn reusable rocket quite surprisingly reminds Falcon 9 rocket by its operation.
