Space & Astronomy

Blue Origin reveals new monster space rocket

By T.K. Randall
September 14, 2016

Image Credit: (PD) NASA via Wikimedia Commons Known as New Glenn, the new rocket design is intended to compete with SpaceX and is named after John Glenn - the first American astronaut to go in to orbit around the Earth.

Blue Origin's next step…meet New Glenn #NewGlenn #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/p4gICKZRfi

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) September 12, 2016

The rocket will be available in two configurations - a two-stage version for reaching low-Earth orbit and a three-stage version for more ambitious missions such as sending astronauts to the Moon.

"Our vision is millions of people living and working in space, and New Glenn is a very important step," Bezos said in a statement. "New Glenn is 23 feet in diameter and lifts off with 3.85 million pounds of thrust from seven BE-4 engines.""Burning liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen, these are the same BE-4 engines that will power United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket."

New Glenn is slated to be ready to launch within the next ten years however it is likely to face some stiff competition from the likes of SpaceX which is also developing its own reusable rockets.

While Blur Origin's rocket is much larger than the existing SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, both are still smaller than NASA's Saturn V which sent Apollo 11 to the moon in 1969.

Which rocket will ultimately be the first to send mankind back there however remains to be seen.

Source: Wired.co.uk

Tags: Blue Origin, New Glenn