Blue Origin's New Glenn Tour with Tim Dodd and Jeff Bezos

Introduction

• Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, at Blue Origin's factory in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• Touring New Glenn, one of the largest rockets.
• Overview of what will be seen: landing legs, main tanks, engines, fairings, etc.
• Jeff Bezos as the tour guide.

Meeting Jeff Bezos

• Tim introduces himself and meets Jeff.
• Discussion about the first rocket landed by Blue Origin and its significance.
• The scale of New Glenn compared to previous rockets.

Rocket Design and Features

• Rocket's Unique Features:
  • New Glenn has to fly in two directions (up and down).
  • Aerodynamic stability is crucial for both ascent and descent.
  • Ring fins and pop-up fins for stabilization.
  • Drag brakes to enhance landing performance.

Inertial Navigation and Landing Mechanics

• High Altitude Wind Measurements:
  • Using inertial navigation to track high altitude winds.
  • Adjustments made for landing accuracy.
  • Final corrections aided by fins during descent.

Historical Insights

• Discussion about the progress in rocketry since the 1960s.
• Key advancements in manufacturing, sensors, and computational technologies.
• Reusability as a solution for reducing spaceflight costs.

Inside the Factory

• Tank Production:

  • Friction stir welding of LOx and LNG tanks.
  • Importance of orthogrid and isogrid designs for tank construction.
  • Emphasis on high-performance reusable tanks and aesthetics in aerospace design.

• Components of the Rocket:

  • Explanation of components like downcomers and barrel sections.
  • Details about vertical welding and quality inspections.

Hydrogen Tank Tour

• Entering a clean room for the hydrogen tank.
• Installation of helium bottles inside the tank.
• Overview of dimensions and comparisons with historical tanks.

Second Stage and Engines

• New Glenn's Second Stage:

  • Description of the flight article for Escapade.
  • Design features to ensure rapid turnaround (16 days between launches).
  • Overview of thermal insulation and landing gear systems.

• Engine Features:

  • BE4 engines mounted on the second stage; focus on reusability and performance.
  • Specific impulse considerations for engines using hydrogen vs. kerosene.
  • Oxidizer-rich stage combustion cycle and its implications for performance.

Manufacturing and Materials

• Composites Production:

  • Fairings and payload adapters made of carbon fiber.
  • Use of CNC machines for precision and efficiency.
  • Cure process for composite materials.

• Future Developments:

  • Discussion on developing a reusable second stage and its material considerations.
  • The ongoing evolution of manufacturing techniques to improve affordability and performance.

Conclusion

• Tim expresses gratitude to the Blue Origin team and Jeff Bezos for the tour.
• Encourages viewers to subscribe for part two of the tour, focusing on the launch pad.
• Thanks supporters on Patreon and mentions new merchandise related to the Apollo era.