{"id":262144,"date":"2025-10-31T04:32:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T04:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/262144\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T04:32:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T04:32:11","slug":"blue-origin-completes-new-glenn-static-fire-test-preparing-for-nasas-escapade-mission-launch-spaceflight-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/262144\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Origin completes New Glenn static fire test, preparing for NASA\u2019s EscaPADE mission launch \u2013 Spaceflight Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Blue Origin conducted a roughly 40-second-long static fire of its New Glenn rocket on Oct. 30, 2025. This hotfire of the seven BE-4 engines is a precursor to the launch of NASA\u2019s EscaPADE mission. Image: Adam Bernstein \/ Spaceflight Now<\/p>\n

Blue Origin lit up a pocket of Florida\u2019s Space Coast Thursday night when it hot fired its New Glenn rocket for an engine test lasting roughly 40 seconds in duration.<\/p>\n

The test at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station began at about 9:59 p.m. EDT (0159 UTC) and came more than an hour after what appeared to be a brief ignition and then shutdown after activating the water-based sound suppression system at the pad.<\/p>\n

The ignition of the seven BE-4 engines was an important milestone as the company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos is preparing for the launch of its first NASA mission in the days or weeks to come.<\/p>\n

.@blueorigin<\/a> completed a roughly 40 second static fire of its New Glenn rocket with T-0 occurring around 9:59 p.m. EDT (0159 UTC). This was one of the big milestones before launching NASA\u2019s EscaPADE mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. pic.twitter.com\/5Q28vi1JSl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) October 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The more than 320-foot-tall (98 m) tall rocket will launch a pair of twin spacecraft on a journey to Mars. NASA\u2019s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission is the \u201cfirst multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to the Red Planet,\u201d as described by the agency.<\/p>\n

This was just the third time that Blue Origin has ignited its booster at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It completed a hotfire test back in December before launching its first New Glenn rocket with a pathfinder for its Blue Ring spacecraft in January.<\/p>\n

Like with the first launch, Blue Origin will once again attempt to recover the booster through a propulsive landing on the barge named \u201cJacklyn\u201d in honor of Bezos\u2019 mother. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the booster used on New Glenn 1 (NG-1) mission, named \u2018So You\u2019re Telling Me There\u2019s a Chance\u2019, failed to relight its engines, causing it to not be recoverable.<\/p>\n

Blue Origin is banking on the second booster, named \u2018Never Tell Me the Odds\u2019, will have a better fate. If it is able to be recovered successfully and refurbished, the company plans to fly it on its third mission, which will carry its first Blue Moon Mk. 1 lander.<\/p>\n

The cargo variant of Blue Origin\u2019s robotic lander will aid in the development of a crewed version, which is contracted to fly on the Artemis 5 mission for NASA.<\/p>\n

\"\"An artist\u2019s rendering of Blue Origin\u2019s Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on the surface of the Moon. Graphic: Blue Origin
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