Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin said Tuesday that last week’s rocket explosion saved the fuel tanks and some other critical parts of the launch pad.
Critical to NASA’s Artemis lunar program, the massive New Glenn rocket of the company exploded during an engine firing test in the Cape Canaveral Space Station. A lighting tower and the transporter-erector used to move and hoist the rocket were destroyed in the explosion that sent shock waves across the state.
The general director, Dave Limhas said that the methane, hydrogen and oxygen deposits appear to be in good condition. The water tank is also good and the support tower that still stands can be repaired in place. A booster and other rocket parts housed nearby were not damaged.
Overall, this is “good news,” Limp said in an X update, adding: “We will fly again before the end of the year.”
The cause continues to be investigated
Just two days before the accident, NASA awarded a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Blue Origin, choosing New Glenn rockets to launch a pair of vehicles to the Moon ahead of the arrival of the first Artemis moonwalkers who will pilot them. New Glenn It is also necessary to launch the lander Blue Moon of the company, which will be used to take astronauts to the lunar surface in the coming years.
NASA’s goal is for the first astronaut landing on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 to take place in 2028.
The space agency “will do everything possible” to get the platform back up and running as soon as possible.while continuing to focus on the progress of the lander.”declared the administrator Jared Isaacman through X.
Blue Origin’s line of reusable New Glenn rockets –named after John Glennthe first American in orbit – has only taken off three times. It’s not as big as SpaceX’s Starship, which is conducting test flights to the far reaches of space from Texas.
NASA has commissioned Starshipsin addition to the Blue Moon landers, to carry astronauts from Artemis to the lunar surface in the coming years.
This story was translated from English to Spanish with an artificial intelligence tool and was reviewed by an editor before publication.