Blue Origin Conducts New Glenn Rocket Test at NASA Research Centre

Jeff Bezos’ space tech company, Blue Origin, has successfully completed a nose cone, or fairing, test on their New Glenn rocket. The fairing test took place at NASA’s Glenn Research Centre in Ohio. The Glenn Research Centre is home to the largest vacuum chamber in the world, which allowed Blue Origin to emulate space conditions for their Glenn rocket test. The test aimed to deduce whether the nose cone would split open cleanly to allow for payload deployment in space.

Successful Fairing Test is Step Forward for Blue Origin

Blue Origin is still several months away from launching their New Glenn rocket. It is reusable and is due to be launched from Blue Origin’s site in Florida in late 2022. However, despite this successful test, the company is rumoured to be running behind in several key areas, which may postpone the launch. For example, in December 2021, Ars Technica reported on delays in the development of Blue Origin’s booster engines design. The company will have to carry out full testing on other parts of the New Glenn, such as the hydraulic and control systems, before a launch can go ahead.

NASA Glenn Nose Cone Test Video Released on Twitter

Despite speculation about delays, Blue Origin is delighted with the success of their New Glenn rocket nose cone test. The test was recorded, and these videos were released by the company’s PR team on Instagram and Twitter. The test has also reassured company officials that the Blue Origin fairing design will provide a safe and effective method of delivering payloads.