Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Exploded
New Glenn Explosion – NASA Spaceflight.com
Keith’s note: a few minutes ago the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on its launch pad during a static test. Major damage has been reported. To state the obvious – especially in light of issues with SpaceX Starship 12 flight, this certainly changes things for NASA’s Artemis plans. Of course NASASpaceflight.com, always alert, caught the whole thing.
2 responses to “Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Exploded”
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I had asked in several LinkedIn threads if the range requires the flight termination system to be armed during hot-fire tests such as this. Especially on the pad itself and at low altitude, FTSs are autonomous because the range radars can’t see the booster at low altitudes. It’s a very low probability, but linking several failures during a hot-fire could allow the vehicle to lift off and become airborne. No answers to my FTS question yet.
I think I may have answered my own question. I watched the video a few dozen times at real-time speed and slowed down. There is a pretty uniform explosion in the second stage right before the first stage explodes. I obviously can’t be sure, but a uniform explosion around the circumference tells me “flight termination system”. The big explosion of the first stage is also too uniform to have originated from a single engine turbopump failure.
I believe the shockwave you’re seeing is the burning methane transitioning from deflagration to detonation. That’s a hazard with liquid methane/LOX fuel mixes. Kerosene, for example, won’t detonate like that if it’s burning. It’s something NASA, the Air Force, and related agencies have wanted more data on since the precise dynamics are complicated….so silver lining there, I guess.