Blue Origin is working on a secret project in SpaceX fashion
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket – soon with a reusable upper stage? (Image: Blue Origin)
Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin is said to be working on a reusable upper stage for its New Glenn launcher. A secret project called “Jarvis” is based on the rival SpaceX.
After rumors that Blue Origin wanted to completely switch the material of its New Glenn launcher like SpaceX from aluminum to stainless steel, another interesting piece of information came to light. Insiders have told Ars Technica that the space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos wants to accelerate the development of a reusable upper stage rocket through a secret project.
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Blue Origin: Develop and Test Faster
The name of this project, “Jarvis”, should remind of the character of the same name JARVIS (“Just A Rather Very Intelligent System”) from the Marvel Universe, like Ars Technica writes. Blue Origin is supposed to work – at least in part – in the future in the SpaceX manner, i.e. develop and test faster by bypassing the management floor and accelerating certain processes.
Bezos, who had previously viewed the SpaceX development rather critically, was ultimately convinced by the success that Elon Musk’s company achieved with its reusable Starship. In order to reduce the costs of his New Glenn rocket and to maintain his competitiveness in possible NASA projects, Bezos now wants to finish the reusable upper stage for his rocket quickly. Advisors are said to have advised Bezos against it beforehand, as the Ars Technica report says.
New Glenn: Second stage tank tests in the fall
The Bezos risk of the leaner Jarvis project should meanwhile have paid off. The first tests of the tanks, which will then be made of stainless steel, should take place in autumn. First of all, the New Glenn will then start with an extendable second rocket stage. The switch to a completely reusable upper level will then only take place in the mid-2020s.
It is not known which budget Bezos has approved for the Jarvis project and whether the developers employed there report directly to the top. New information from the insiders in turn suggests that Blue Origin is working on other previously unknown projects. One of them revolves around technologies for using resources on the moon. Another focus is on drives for use in space.
