Comments on: First two stages of New Glenn assembled for the first time https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/first-two-stages-of-new-glenn-assembled-for-the-first-time/ Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:19:35 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Jeff Wright https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/first-two-stages-of-new-glenn-assembled-for-the-first-time/#comment-1442659 Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:19:35 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=102211#comment-1442659 To David.

Dragon should have been the rocket’s name–Falcon, the capsule

]]> By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/first-two-stages-of-new-glenn-assembled-for-the-first-time/#comment-1442617 Wed, 24 Jan 2024 23:10:14 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=102211#comment-1442617 Blue Origin is probably going to be stuck with a quasi-reusable heavy-lift rocket with nothing like the F9 “underneath” it in the market.

Unless they buy ULA of course. Then they’ll have additional market coverage from Vulcan, albeit with only “SMART” reusability if any.

Both powered by BE-4s of course, which so far is very much a pig in a poke in respect to manufacturability and reusability.

Meanwhile, Raptor is evolving to Gen 3, with all the numbers going up… except weight, parts count, and cost to build.

]]> By: David M. Cook https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/first-two-stages-of-new-glenn-assembled-for-the-first-time/#comment-1442604 Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:51:10 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=102211#comment-1442604 Another advantage for Space X over Blue Origin is the names they give to their rockets. New Shepard (for example) may honor our first astronaut, but it sounds “clunky“ & “stilted” as a rocket name. New Glenn also sounds “forced” & “contrived”. Even the company name leaves a person scratching their head trying to figure out what they do. “Blue Origin” could be an ocean-based enterprise! The other organization choosing bad names is the ISRO. Perhaps both these folks should contact George Lucas. There‘s a guy who knows how to name spacecraft!

]]> By: V-Man https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/first-two-stages-of-new-glenn-assembled-for-the-first-time/#comment-1442595 Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:55:30 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=102211#comment-1442595 Given their experience with New Shepard, I wouldn’t be surprised if they land it on the first try.

The key thing is going to be rapid re-use — getting the first stage back isn’t worth as much if it takes six-eight months to refurbish it for the next flight.

Do they plan to recover the (fairly large and thus expensive) fairings? That one is a major cost saver for SpaceX ($3-6M per flight?).

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