Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Florida this month, the company said today.
New Glenn’s first mission, NG-1, will carry the company’s Blue Ring Pathfinder unit to test Earth-orbit logistics tools for the United States Department of Defense.
“Blue Ring plays a critical role in building a road to space, and this mission is an important first step for Blue Ring and enabling dynamic and responsive operations that will greatly benefit our nation,” said Paul Ebertz, Blue Origin’s In-Space Systems senior vice president.
The Blue Ring Pathfinder includes a communications array and a flight computer, as well as power systems.
Blue Origin plans to eventually build a Blue Ring production space vehicle that will be used to host and transport payloads, including satellites.
“There is a growing demand to quickly move and position equipment and infrastructure in multiple orbits,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. “Blue Ring has advanced propulsion and communication capabilities for government and commercial customers to handle these maneuvers precisely and efficiently.”
The Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit has partnered with Blue Origin to provide logistics services in geostationary orbit.
The Pathfinder will test Blue Ring’s orbit-to-ground communications systems, in-space telemetry, and tracking hardware.
NG-1 will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, though no date has yet been confirmed.
The rocket is 320 feet tall (97.5m), and can carry 45 metric tonnes to low Earth orbit. New Glenn rockets will be reusable for future missions.
According to Limp, the company’s rockets are awaiting regulatory approvals for hot-fire testing and launch.
