Blue Origin test-fires second New Glenn rocket ahead of launch next month

Blue Origin has made significant strides towards the upcoming flight of its New Glenn rocket, following a successful test-firing of its seven main engines. This pivotal event took place on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, where the engines ignited at 9:59 PM EDT on Thursday, marking an important milestone in the rocket's preparation. The engines burned for an impressive 38 seconds while remaining grounded, as confirmed by a post on social media from Blue Origin. This test represented the final major assessment of the rocket's first stage prior to its anticipated launch. Previously, the company had also successfully test-fired the rocket's second-stage engines. Although an official launch date has yet to be disclosed, sources indicate that the New Glenn rocket could be ready for liftoff as early as November 9. Blue Origin's CEO, Dave Limp, expressed his excitement on X, stating, "Love seeing New Glenn’s seven BE-4 engines come alive! Congratulations to Team Blue on today’s hotfire." The BE-4 engines achieved full power for a duration of 22 seconds, producing nearly 3.9 million pounds of thrust. Limp noted that engineers extended the test-firing and simulated a landing burn sequence by shutting down some of the BE-4 engines, a crucial maneuver intended to facilitate recovery on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. "This helps us understand fluid interactions between active and inactive engine feedlines during landing," Limp elaborated. Blue Origin aims to successfully recover the New Glenn first stage during this flight after missing the landing opportunity in January's inaugural mission. If this mission does not succeed in landing the rocket, it may delay the readiness of a new first-stage booster until late 2026. Following the test, Blue Origin's ground crew will lower the towering 320-foot rocket and roll it back to a hangar for thorough inspection and to replace its payload fairing with a clamshell designed to carry two NASA-owned spacecraft on their journey to Mars.