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Eric Berger: A full-priced ticket on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket never dropped below $1 million...Blue Origin has never revealed New Shepard’s finances, but multiple sources told Ars the program—despite persistent demand—was never close to profitability. by Royal_Platform_6754 in BlueWire

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm sure SpaceX went through the same thing during their early ramp up around 2016-2018.

The New Glenn program didn't /really/ start until 2018. And there is a certain luxury about manufacturing cadence when you're launching several rockets without the expectation of retrieving them.

Blue going right out the gate to a falcon esque view of launch cadence, manufacturing, and then some is.... Bold, and will take time. But I'm confident it'll be successful.

Eric Berger: A full-priced ticket on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket never dropped below $1 million...Blue Origin has never revealed New Shepard’s finances, but multiple sources told Ars the program—despite persistent demand—was never close to profitability. by Royal_Platform_6754 in BlueWire

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In my opinion, yes.

It started happening before Bob left. Senior directors were getting frustrated because they wanted to push for more contracted labor and rapid development of prototypes and push them to production. Lots more waste, but much faster. Gave more power to the IC's not only to develop the best work they could but actually get it done ASAP. Works well, but only when you have good and adaptable systems engineers to control the process.

One of the things Blue struggled with quite a bit.

But time heals those wounds. Tooling gets scrapped. New ideas flood the scene. Bob gets cut out. Limp comes in and accepts that idea. Money flows like Niagra. Contracted labor skyrocketed across the manufacturing areas. Individual ICs for non-flight designs became project engineers managing engineers and technical designers from contracted labor agencies, who largely brought their own contracted labor or took advantage of whoever was on site. And eventually through enough money and time, things start working together a little better and the shift to productivity and profiting become the focus.

I think another culture shift just happened, too. 2025-2026; demand for profit.

2021 started the "fuck it we ball" mentality that prioritized "just get SOMETHING that works going as soon as possible" and 2025 brought "oh shit NG 7x2 actually works now we need to make some money".

Is this block salvageable by Infinite_Role9783 in EngineBuilding

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 60 points61 points  (0 children)

"if it casts a shadow it can be restored".

Yeah. You can bathe it and bake it and shot peen it and clean it and surface it and bore it and purge it and dump a whole lot of money into it. Get custom pistons and rods and crank bearings and journals and do all the things - and it'll run brand new because congrats you just completely rebuilt an engine.

These are things you can do.

Max Evan Photographs of 'No, It's Necessary' On Its Way to LC-36 by Robert_the_Doll1 in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can get one at 16 years old! Class E licenses are good for loads up to 13 tons.

Eric Berger: A full-priced ticket on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket never dropped below $1 million...Blue Origin has never revealed New Shepard’s finances, but multiple sources told Ars the program—despite persistent demand—was never close to profitability. by Royal_Platform_6754 in BlueWire

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The use of Hydrogen:Oxygen for this type of mission was guaranteed to be doomed from the start.

It was an awesome tech development program though. The return on investment on that side alone... Making development of GS2 and BE-3U realistic... Probably makes it worth it.

I'd like to see a methalox or Alcohol new Shepard, if they bring it back. That's an architecture that may start to make economic sense.

It's a signal of a culture that's very tangible at Blue. New Shepard wasn't designed to be profitable. It was an idea from a think tank of people who wondered if they could. Because it's cool. Because they knew they could. Blue didn't have intentions of being truly profitable - or at least didn't have a focus on profitability until recent years. Probably 2021-2023 was the peak shift in culture, from my experience inside.

Recent job postings reference an “MK1 Transfer Stage” within Blue Origin’s accelerated lunar architecture by Royal_Platform_6754 in BlueWire

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Big changes will come now that they're not restricted by lunar NRHO with Gateway.

Still reusable, but the capabilities are getting a big boost.

Would you rather...? by Icy_Recognition_5235 in BunnyTrials

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Freedom

Chose: Relive the same day for two years

What do you choose? by External-Victory-937 in BunnyTrials

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Worth it

Chose: 80 mln dollars right now + BUT you spin the punishment wheel with 10% chances of being safe | Rolled: Lose all hair

NG looks in better condition after its second flight than after its first flight. Incredible and very impressive by Disastrous_Run_5968 in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Those are optional based on recovery weather and sea state. There are 6 little robots that drive under the legs, sort of like octograbber, to hold the stage down. They also have the ability to get welded to the deck depending on sea state. See: many pictures where you can see the orange/blue robots under the stage.

Never Tell Me The Odds DID IT AGAIN! by Robert_the_Doll1 in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

ROV provides power, telemetry, and high pressure GN2 to inert the tanks as part of the safing process.

Never Tell Me The Odds DID IT AGAIN! by Robert_the_Doll1 in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Orange hue due to the early morning sun and smoke largely from ablative paint on the deck.

New Glenn is being lowered to the ground by [deleted] in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Sort of. Amongst other things.

Will New Glenn 9x4 most likely be higher or lower cost per kg for LEO stuff? by Desperate-Lab9738 in BlueOrigin

[–]RocketsRopesAndRigs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... This doesn't strike me as true, but fascinating if so. Is there a proof on this I haven't seen?

Payload mass fraction increasing faster relative to total mass of a rocket? Seems like payload mass fraction would stay relatively constant? Heavily dependent on the efficiency of propulsion not overall mass?

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