New Glenn Update

Reusable fairings and comparison to SpaceX

• People note Blue Origin’s mention of a “reusable fairing” and compare it to SpaceX’s experience.
• Clarification: SpaceX abandoned mid-air net catches but still routinely recovers fairings from ocean splashdowns, having redesigned them for water impact and reflown them many times.
• Curiosity about how Blue will implement reuse, but no technical details in the thread.

Lunar mission and test philosophy (NASA vs SpaceX style)

• New Glenn’s next mission being a lunar-orbit flight with a lander is seen by some as a big leap after a first orbital flight.
• Debate over “fail fast” (SpaceX/Starship) vs more conservative, NASA-like stepwise testing (Blue, Artemis).
• Historical comparisons to Saturn V and the Apollo sequence; some argue current safety culture wouldn’t accept Apollo-era risk.
• Extended argument over Artemis’ purpose (Moon-to-Mars, sustainable cislunar economy) vs perceptions it’s an Apollo/SLS retread, and criticism of popular YouTube commentary on it.

Engines, 9×4 configuration, and performance

• Technical interest centers on upgrading from 7×2 to 9×4 engines and stretched tanks; photos suggest structural changes (fins, legs, fairing).
• Discussion of BE‑4’s relatively low chamber pressure vs SpaceX’s Raptor, and how conservative design plus incremental pressure increases can raise thrust.
• New Glenn’s very large fairing vs its mass-to-orbit is noted; expectation that engine upgrades make better use of that volume.
• Comparisons to Falcon Heavy and Starship: some enthusiasm that 9×4 targets >70 t to LEO, others point out it’s still hypothetical versus Falcon’s long service record.

Market demand and competitive positioning

• Several argue Blue’s bigger problem is lacking a Falcon 9–class workhorse; heavy-lift demand is thin compared to the high-cadence medium-lift market.
• New Glenn is seen as more of a Falcon Heavy competitor; Starship’s role and economics are debated, with concerns about refueling complexity, development cost, and “second system syndrome.”
• Amazon’s Kuiper constellation is viewed as an important but not exclusive source of demand; regulatory deadlines forced Kuiper to buy Falcon 9 launches as well.

Ecosystem and payload design

• Having an 8.7 m fairing similar to Starship’s 9 m is seen as good for customers and even for SpaceX: payload designers can target a shared large-envelope standard and later choose provider by readiness and price.

Units (metric vs imperial) and aerospace practice

• A long tangent erupts over use of feet, miles and pounds in Blue’s materials.
• Aerospace professionals in the thread say modern spaceflight work is overwhelmingly SI internally, though aviation and maritime still use feet and nautical miles.
• Many argue consistency and SI are critical to avoid mishaps; others counter that familiarity and context (e.g., Fahrenheit for weather) drive preferences.

Perceptions of Blue Origin and Bezos

• Mixed views: some see Blue as slow and surviving solely on “Bezos bucks,” far behind SpaceX despite earlier founding.
• Others credit Blue for investing heavily in advanced hardware and a more traditional, high-quality manufacturing approach, suggesting “old space” may have been held back more by funding incentives than by conservatism alone.
• A minority voice expresses outright hostility toward Bezos’ broader impact on humanity.

Miscellaneous

• Some amusement that “An update on New Glenn” sounds like a shutdown euphemism in startup culture, though here it’s a genuine technical update.
• Brief discussions touch on potential space weaponization (“Golden Dome” concepts) and skepticism about the practicality and wisdom of orbital nuclear systems.