Blue Origin cuts engine costs to quarter

A single Northstar engine costs one-fourth of its predecessor, according to Blue Origin. The company announced the pricing target on Thursday at the UP.Summit conference held at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. The new powerplant replaces the BE-4 engine currently used on the first stage of the New Glenn rocket.

Chief Executive Officer Dave Limp presented the plan during the event. He stated that demand for launch services is at a historic high. Limp said, “There has never been higher demand for launch, ever.” The company aims to position New Glenn for more than 1,000 launches annually.

The Northstar design features half the parts and 30 percent less mass than the BE-4. Approximately 65 percent of the engine is produced via 3D printing. This manufacturing approach supports the cost reduction goal. Blue Origin targets an assembly time of less than one day per unit. Test firings for the new engine have already begun.

In terms of raw power, the Northstar generates 715,000 pounds of initial thrust. This exceeds the 640,000 pounds produced by the BE-4. The new engine retains the methane and liquid oxygen fuel mixture of its predecessor. It also uses an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle and a single-shaft turbopump architecture.

Alongside the engine upgrade, the company revealed plans for a new third stage called GS3. This stage will utilize hydrogen and oxygen. The addition is designed to expand payload delivery capabilities for geostationary orbit and lunar missions.

Production of the existing BE-4 engine will continue. Limp confirmed that Blue Origin will keep manufacturing the BE-4 for United Launch Alliance. The Vulcan rocket, which is built by that entity, requires two BE-4 engines for propulsion.

The upgrades mark a shift in the New Glenn program's focus toward higher throughput and lower unit costs. The company has outlined specific technical and financial targets for the transition period. The introduction of the Northstar and GS3 components is part of a long-term strategy to scale launch operations.