BE-4 engine hardware at Blue Origin. Credit: Blue Origin
WASHINGTON — Blue Origin has traced the explosion of its New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test in May to a valve in the rocket’s BE-4 engine, an issue that could also affect United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur.
In an Aug. 5 statement on social media, Blue Origin Chief Executive Dave Limp said the investigation into the May 28 explosion that destroyed a New Glenn rocket and severely damaged its launch pad traced the cause to a liquid oxygen valve in one of the first stage’s seven BE-4 engines.
“The anomaly originated at the main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, which was later confirmed by hardware recovery and inspections,” he said. “Extensive component-level and engine hotfire tests have been conducted to understand the failure mode better and inform mitigations.”
His statement is the first major update on the failure investigation since the explosion. The company has focused its updates since the incident on the reconstruction of Launch Complex 36, its Cape Canaveral launch pad.
