Blue Origin's new Northstar liquid oxygen/liquefied natural gas booster engine has been produced with the company's in-house large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) capability.
The booster engine is said to be capable of 715,000 pounds of thrust, and more than 65% of the engine has been made with additive manufacturing. Blue Origin has not disclosed the AM process or materials used, nor which components have been printed.
Compared to the BE-4 engine, Northstar reduces mass by 30% and parts count by 50%, while increasing thrust from 640,000 pounds. Manufacturing advancements have also significantly shortened production timelines, enabling assembly in less than a day, according to the aerospace company.
Blue Origin moved from program approval to development testing in just 11 months, demonstrating, the company says, its ability to rapidly iterate and deliver advanced propulsion systems.
Northstar is Blue Origin's second booster engine, joining BE-4, and is said to retain the proven liquefied natural gas-fuelled, oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle and single-shaft turbopump architecture that have been foundational to Blue Origin’s propulsion development. Seven BE-4 engines are used to power the New Glenn reusable booster, while two BE-4 engines drive the first stage of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan launch vehicle.
