Blue Origin and New SHEPARD RLV

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Blue Origin, the private space company set up by Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, will begin repurposing its rockets so that NASA can use them to simulate lunar gravity.
NASA has signed an agreement with the company that will see Blue Origin’s New Shepard rockets simulate lunar gravity for up to two minutes at a time by using their thrusters to turn the rockets into a giant centrifuge.
Simulation of lower gravity environments has so far been limited to short, 30-second windows caused by aircraft flying parabolic trajectories.
The new flights using repurposed Blue Origin rockets are set to begin in late 2022, NASA said in a statement.
Closer links with NASA could hand Mr Bezos’ Blue Origin an advantage over Elon Musk’s rival SpaceX business as they compete for lucrative space contracts.

“One of the constant challenges with living and working in space is reduced gravity,” said Christopher Baker, the program executive of NASA’s Flight Opportunities technology demonstration program. “A wide range of tools we need for the moon and Mars could benefit from testing in partial gravity, including technologies for in situ resource utilisation, regolith mining, and environmental control and life support systems.”

 

NEWS APR 12, 2021
NS-15 MISSION TO CONDUCT ASTRONAUT REHEARSAL FOR FUTURE CUSTOMER FLIGHTS

Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-15 flight is targeting liftoff on Wednesday, April 14, from Launch Site One in West Texas. The launch window opens at 8:00 AM CDT / 13:00 UTC. Building on the incremental and consecutive mission successes for the vehicle over the course of the program’s flight history, NS-15 is a verification step for the vehicle and operations prior to flying astronauts.

During the mission, astronaut operational exercises will be conducted in preparation for human space flight. The primary operations will entail Blue Origin personnel standing in as astronauts entering into the capsule prior to launch. These astronauts will climb the launch tower, get into their seats, buckle their harnesses, and conduct a communications check from their seat with CAPCOM, the Capsule Communicator.

The tower operations team will prepare the capsule cabin for launch and then briefly close the capsule hatch. The astronauts will then exit the capsule prior to launch.

Post-landing, the astronauts will get inside the capsule to rehearse hatch opening, and exiting the capsule at the landing site.

Inside the capsule during the flight will be Mannequin Skywalker, along with more than 25,000 postcards on behalf of Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit organization. To participate in the postcards program, visit the Club for the Future website here.

As with previous missions, all mission crew supporting this launch are exercising strict social distancing and safety measures to mitigate COVID-19 risks to personnel and surrounding communities.

Launch coverage begins at T-1 hour on BlueOrigin.com and will include live footage of the astronaut rehearsal activities. Follow @BlueOrigin on Twitter for launch updates.
—Gradatim Ferociter
 
For my taste BO is extrem conservative in testing
They could done first manned test at flight 10 with Testpilot in pressure suits and parachute

And like the angry astronaut say, BO could lose the competition against ULA, SpaceX and Arianespace
I had never expected that ULA beat BO in this game, also they cloud loose the Moonlander contract,
Once the astronauts tested the mock-up to get up and down in space suit! ( also SpaceX)
 
For my taste BO is extrem conservative in testing
They could done first manned test at flight 10 with Testpilot in pressure suits and parachute

And like the angry astronaut say, BO could lose the competition against ULA, SpaceX and Arianespace
I had never expected that ULA beat BO in this game, also they cloud loose the Moonlander contract,
Once the astronauts tested the mock-up to get up and down in space suit! ( also SpaceX)
Some have indicated that BO have very powerful lobbying abilities and know how to play the game on the hill.
 
Anyone think they will beat LM in the nuclear spacecraft design since the engine contract is agreed with General atomics?
 
it seems that BO will launch humans in 20 July 2021
a seat for highes bidder...

 
Blue Origin have a program with zero interest let Space X , Sierra Nevada corp doing the futur
 
It's getting worser for Blue Origin
There unable to provide flight Qualified BE-4 engines for ULA Vulcan rockets
The current build BE-4 are pathfinder engines for ground test only

While in Interview Bezos confess that New Glenn will be only ready in 2023 !

 
Here is article that explain current state of Blue Origin and how they got to it

or linke someone in Twitter called it

That not space Company it's just rich man Hobby...

You probably nailed it there. Bezos has taken the wrong way compared to Musk or he is just not motivated enough.
 
Bezos has unlimited resources to pursue space tech, but after 20 years has yet to put anything in orbit. Why would anyone go to him to get a payload to orbit or get men to the moon when he has never gotten into space after all that time. Elon Musk risked everything he had and has put over 1000 satellites up with over 100 launches to orbit and has delivered astronauts to the space station, and at the same time runs a really cool electric car company. Bezos has a very expensive and unproductive hobby.

Musk is the real deal.
 
Oh by the way

Bezos seems is for moment busy with new Toy
a Gigant Yacht of 132 meter length
so big it need another yacht as ship's boat
cost $400 million

In Mean time a Spokesperson of AMAZON disputes this News
also that AMAZON makes hostile Takeover of MGM and it large movie archive and James Bond franchise...
 
Bezos has unlimited resources to pursue space tech, but after 20 years has yet to put anything in orbit. Why would anyone go to him to get a payload to orbit or get men to the moon when he has never gotten into space after all that time. Elon Musk risked everything he had and has put over 1000 satellites up with over 100 launches to orbit and has delivered astronauts to the space station, and at the same time runs a really cool electric car company. Bezos has a very expensive and unproductive hobby.

Musk is the real deal.
Also since 2000 neither Amazon nor B.O have been in serious trouble; when by 2008 both SpaceX and Tesla nearly went under.
In a sense Musk path toward his present $200 billion worth has been much harder than Bezos trip to the same place.
Maybe Bezos needs some hardships to strengthen his resolve ?
Same for their respective lives - nobody ever threw Bezos from a flight of stairs nor severely bullied him AFAIK.

Note that just like Neil Armstrong in 1962 at a crucial juncture - moving from X-15 pilot to NASA application - Musk lost a child also at a crucial moment: June 2002 exactly when SpaceX was created. Losing a child is probably the most horrible thing a parent can endure.
No idea if Musk has watched "First man" but if he did and realized the coincidence it must have excruciating painful for him.
 
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that AMAZON makes hostile Takeover of MGM and it large movie archive and James Bond franchise...
We are doomed... Bezos wants the Bond franchise to become a real world Blofeld or Drax...!!
 
Yeeees ! I love this picture, kills me every time. Brilliant and funny.
 
Bumper stickers to hand out at SpaceX launches: BO Stinks!!!
 
Via Slashdot:
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced a last-minute amendment Monday to eliminate the $10 billion. “It does not make a lot of sense to me that we would provide billions of dollars to a company owned by the wealthiest guy in America,” Sanders told The Intercept Tuesday."

Either Sanders is an idiot or he doesn't understand how business works. Or both. (Not that I think BO should get money either but not for the reason he's saying.)
 
Via Slashdot:
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced a last-minute amendment Monday to eliminate the $10 billion. “It does not make a lot of sense to me that we would provide billions of dollars to a company owned by the wealthiest guy in America,” Sanders told The Intercept Tuesday."

Either Sanders is an idiot or he doesn't understand how business works. Or both. (Not that I think BO should get money either but not for the reason he's saying.)
Let's be honest, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and in this case Sanders absolutely has the right of it. This is nothing but a handout to a rich guy that threw a temper tantrum because his company lost a bid.
 
I keep reading "Senator Wicked" ROTFL then again, it is probably appropriate in that context :p :p :p

But Robert Smith probably has the cure for this ^o^ (take my coat in a hurry, run for cover, hide under a large rock...)
 
The more nuanced case, that Blue Origin can spend their own money to keep their proposal going until the service contract competition, has been made and largely ignored by press and legislators on BO's side.
 
Having different teams competing is not counter productive. SpaceX won however. You can't get it out of them or pay the same sum for the same thing.

But an heavily scrutinized budget for a different mission with money inflow linked to KPP could only help.

Remember the X-34.
 
Via Slashdot:
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced a last-minute amendment Monday to eliminate the $10 billion. “It does not make a lot of sense to me that we would provide billions of dollars to a company owned by the wealthiest guy in America,” Sanders told The Intercept Tuesday."

Either Sanders is an idiot or he doesn't understand how business works. Or both. (Not that I think BO should get money either but not for the reason he's saying.)
Let's be honest, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and in this case Sanders absolutely has the right of it. This is nothing but a handout to a rich guy that threw a temper tantrum because his company lost a bid.
Well, if we're being "honest", the fact that the company is owned by a "rich guy" (is that a crime now?) is coincidental. Companies not owned by "rich guys" file, and win, protests all the time.
 
Via Slashdot:
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced a last-minute amendment Monday to eliminate the $10 billion. “It does not make a lot of sense to me that we would provide billions of dollars to a company owned by the wealthiest guy in America,” Sanders told The Intercept Tuesday."

Either Sanders is an idiot or he doesn't understand how business works. Or both. (Not that I think BO should get money either but not for the reason he's saying.)
Let's be honest, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and in this case Sanders absolutely has the right of it. This is nothing but a handout to a rich guy that threw a temper tantrum because his company lost a bid.
Well, if we're being "honest", the fact that the company is owned by a "rich guy" (is that a crime now?) is coincidental. Companies not owned by "rich guys" file, and win, protests all the time.
You are not quite accurate. Blue Origin has not won the protest "yet". But they have won the lobbyist game for sure. The senate is interceding before any judgement has been rendered, and giving a "solicited" hand-out. Is the coincidence that the "rich guy" didn't get what he wants, so the senate is giving it to him .......... only by coincidence mind you.
 

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