In a widely anticipated test, Blue Origin may ignite the seven main engines on its New Glenn rocket as soon as Thursday at Launch Complex-36 in Florida.
This is the final test the company must complete before verifying the massive rocket is ready for its debut flight, and it is the most dynamic. This will be the first time Blue Origin has ever test-fired the BE-7 engines altogether, in a final rehearsal before launch.
The company did not respond immediately to a request for comment, but the imminent nature of the test was confirmed by a NASA official.
“New Glenn, you know, obviously, you know that they’re vertical on LC-36, so they’re going through all their ground processing, getting ready for their hot fire,” Lisa Watson-Morgan, the program manager for the Human Landing System, said Thursday morning in an interview with Ars. “Maybe, maybe, maybe today, maybe soon. I think it’s very soon. And so to that, we are really looking forward to that Blue Ring flight that is coming up for Blue Origin. So we get insight into their processing, their hot fires, into their early commercial launches. And that gives us confidence that as we’re moving forward, that the launch vehicle system is making progress.”
Watson-Morgan said the agency is watching the development of New Glenn closely, as the rocket is expected to play a role in the Artemis Program to return humans to the Moon. The super heavy lift rocket will be used to launch a lunar lander, as well as elements to fuel it in space for missions to the Moon.