Blue Origin successfully hot-fired its first New Glenn rocket at its launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday. The company also acquired permission to launch the rocket under the Part 450 launch license from the FAA, allowing it to finally make its dreams a reality and light the New Glenn candle.
New Glenn gains Part 450 launch license
For months now, we’ve been waiting for the FAA to sign off on Blue Origin’s ability to launch its New Glenn rocket. A launch license was the last item stated by Blue Origin CEO, Dave Limp, before preparing for launch. It also, apparently, was blocking the company from conducting a static fire of the New Glenn’s booster.
That issue is no more as the FAA granted Blue Origin a Part 450 launch license Friday afternoon. The Part 450 license has been a hot topic recently as it was supposed to make it easier for companies to gain launch approval. However, the process has been harder than the FAA intended, leading to future changes coming. This could have been why it took Blue Origin so long to get approval.
None the less, Blue Origin now has the ability to operate as an orbital launch service provider, a feat the company has been working towards for many years now.
First New Glenn rocket ready to launch
Waisting no time, later that same day Blue Origin conducted a 24-second static fire of the seven BE-4 engines on New Glenn’s first stage. The final major milestone before continuing to launch, it was also the first time Blue Origin conducted a test with a fully integrated vehicle.
The static fire used flight hardware for both the first and second stages but used test fairings and no payload on board. For launch, those test payloads will be replaced with flight-ready ones with the company’s Blue Ring Pathfinder inside.
Blue Ring is set to be the base for future in-space hardware like transfer vehicles, space stations, and possibly satellite buses. No launch date has yet been given by Blue Origin. Jeff Bezos and Limp have been saying they would be able to launch New Glenn by the end of the year; however, with that being next Tuesday, it is unlikely now.
The market needs a SpaceX competitor
The space launch market has been long overdue for a new competitor to actually pull some market share away from SpaceX. While, when Elon Musk started his company, they were viewed as the underdogs, they are now a de facto monopoly in the industry.
2025 might finally be the year we see true launch competition materialize, not just with Blue Origin but also with Rocket Lab. However, New Glenn will be the only heavy-lift launcher that could compete with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy.
True low coast competition will change the game for many customers looking for the best options to get to space. As right now they’re stuck with the Falcon 9 and likely their rideshare program. While the costs are at their historic lows, no competition means if they only need to be lower than ULA, Arianespace, or India for SpaceX to keep the customers coming. Another player also fighting for those launch contracts could continue to bring launch costs down.
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