It looks like Blue Origin has just completed their first BE-4 engine. It is similar, but different from SpaceX's Raptor methalox engine.
The BE-4 is a ORSC= oxygen rich staged combustion. LOX sent into a preburner then to the combustion chamber so ox rich gas, LOX and LCH4 burned together.
The Raptor is a FFSC= full flow staged combustion. Both LOX and LCH4 sent to preburners before the combustion chamber which leads to higher chamber pressure and isp.
The BE-4 is slated to possibly replace the Russian RD-180 used in the Atlas V. The new ULA rocket is called the Vulcan and would use two BE-4s or possibly a couple Aerojet AR-1 engines. The BE-4 remains the primary possibility based on the results of a full scale engine test. Until now there was no full scale engine. So we'll likely see a test of this engine soon and an announcement that ULA will use it soon.
Twitter
Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) | Twitter
For an image of a test firing of an early smaller test engine. Similar to the images we've seen of the Raptor test firings.
The BE-4 is a ORSC= oxygen rich staged combustion. LOX sent into a preburner then to the combustion chamber so ox rich gas, LOX and LCH4 burned together.
The Raptor is a FFSC= full flow staged combustion. Both LOX and LCH4 sent to preburners before the combustion chamber which leads to higher chamber pressure and isp.
The BE-4 is slated to possibly replace the Russian RD-180 used in the Atlas V. The new ULA rocket is called the Vulcan and would use two BE-4s or possibly a couple Aerojet AR-1 engines. The BE-4 remains the primary possibility based on the results of a full scale engine test. Until now there was no full scale engine. So we'll likely see a test of this engine soon and an announcement that ULA will use it soon.
Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) | Twitter
For an image of a test firing of an early smaller test engine. Similar to the images we've seen of the Raptor test firings.
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