Blue Origin

[Eric Mc]

In keeping with having separate threads on the various separate manned space projects, maybe we should have one on Blue Origin. They conducted a test this morning - video here.

https://www.blueorigin.com/#youtubeEI-tGVFg7PU

[Eric Mc]

That's commercial competition for you.

[Eric Mc]

They did.

Without rockets the impact would have been around 20 mph - survivable but a bit of a jar.

[Eric Mc]

Competition does not always produce efficiency. It produces duplication of effort and often wastes resources.

What it does do regarding space is that it is producing efforts that are independent of government, which means some of these efforts have a better chance of continuity.

[Eric Mc]

That's the media's fault, not Blue Origin.

Having said that, at one point Jeff Bezos was trying to compare his vertical landings with Elon Musk's - so the media can get confused at times.

I like the fact that there are multiple projects at the moment. It's better than none at all.

[Eric Mc]

I'll be there

Or at least, watching on my computer.

[Eric Mc]

Nothing on their website.

[Eric Mc]

Thanks.

Will be watching tomorrow.

[Eric Mc]

Should be happening at 15.50 BST today.

[Eric Mc]

Just started.

[Eric Mc]

There was a picture labelled "In Flight Escape" test on the "Blue Origin" website. I just clicked on the "start" icon.

[Eric Mc]

My hunch is the booster won't make it. I hope I'm wrong.

[Eric Mc]

Oops - is that a scheduled hold or an unplanned one?

[Eric Mc]

I don't think the commentator's were expecting it.

[Eric Mc]

They just mentioned it - although, being Americans, they called them turtles.

[Eric Mc]

They rewound to T-14 minutes and restarted the countdown.

[Eric Mc]

And another hold. Not looking good I have to say.

[Eric Mc]

That was spectacular. Over to you Elon - your turn next.

[Eric Mc]

moleamol said:

Is it just me or did the capsule boosters not fire? Still a success but I thought they slowed the last bit?

The escape boosters fired exactly as planned. Did you not see the thing accelerate away from the rocket?
The landing rockets on the capsule also fired exactly as they should - just that split second before impacting the desert floor.

Soyuz uses a tractor rocket system to pull the spacecraft away from an errant booster.

However, Soyuz also uses small retro rockets on the base of the capsule as a braking device just before touchdown.

[Eric Mc]

They fire so close to the ground that you don't get to see them. All you do see is a large puff of dust.

If you watch a Soyuz touching down, you will see something very similar.