Blue Origin BE-4 to Support ULA National Security Launches, Continue New Glenn Development
KENT, Wash. (Blue Origin PR) — Today, Blue Origin issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement (LSP) announcement:
“We are disappointed in the decision that New Glenn was not selected for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement (LSP). We submitted an incredibly compelling offer for the national security community and the U.S. taxpayer. Blue Origin’s offer was based on New Glenn’s heavy-lift performance, unprecedented private investment of more than $2.5 billion, and a very competitive single basic launch service price for any mission across the entire ordering period. We are proceeding with New Glenn development to fulfill our current commercial contracts, pursue a large and growing commercial market, and enter into new civil space launch contracts. We remain confident New Glenn will play a critical role for the national security community in the future due to the increasing realization that space is a contested domain and a robust, responsive, and resilient launch capability is ever more vital to U.S security.
Blue Origin is very proud that our BE-4 engine will power United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan launch vehicle in support of the Space Force’s NSSL program and end reliance on Russian-built engines. The BE-4 is the most powerful liquefied natural gas-fueled rocket engine ever developed and the first oxygen-rich staged combustion engine made in the U.S. We look forward to supporting ULA’s long-standing role in launching national security payloads.”
– Bob Smith, CEO, Blue Origin
3 responses to “Blue Origin BE-4 to Support ULA National Security Launches, Continue New Glenn Development”
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The BE-4 is a very elegant looking engine and should, I emphasize should, be a real winner. When New Glenn is flying, I’m sure that down the track, the DOD will contract for it’s use in launching national security payloads. Be patient, BO, just like SpaceX had to be.
It looks especially elegant in the above photo because the three articles pictured are just combustion chambers sitting atop exhaust bells. There’s none of the metallic viscera of turbomachinery, valves and piping that make complete rocket engines look like Gordian knots.
Thanks, Richard, that makes a lot of sense. Keep safe, Paul.