Main Engine Cut OffBE-4 Two Years Ahead of AR1
Jeff Foust, for SpaceNews:
“They are two years behind Blue Origin,” one meeting attendee, not authorized to speak on the record, said of the assessment’s conclusion about AR1. Another year would be needed to integrate the engine with a launch vehicle.
The BE-4 powerpack testing mishap raised a number of questions by those at the briefing, the source said, but the NASA assessment concluded it would not have a major effect on the overall testing program for the engine. “They should be on track to restart testing in late summer and still stay on schedule,” the attendee recalled.
Things are still looking up for BE-4.
This article is long, exhaustive, and worth every minute of your time. It covers the 2018 NDAA, the BE-4 vs. AR1 competition, and Blue Origin’s move to Alabama in more detail than you could ever hope for.