Officials from NASA and the private space company Blue Origin have signed an agreement that grants the company use of an historic test stand as the agency focuses on returning to the Moon and on to Mars, and America’s commercial space industry continues to grow.
Under a Commercial Space Launch Act agreement, Blue Origin will upgrade and refurbish Test Stand 4670, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to support testing of their BE-3U and BE-4 rocket engines. The BE-4 engine was selected to power United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan rocket and Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle — both being developed to serve the expanding civil, commercial and national security space markets.
Under a Commercial Space Launch Act agreement, Blue Origin will upgrade and refurbish Test Stand 4670, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to support testing of their BE-3U and BE-4 rocket engines. Constructed in 1965, Test Stand 4670 served as the backbone for Saturn V propulsion testing for the Apollo program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Photo is courtesy of NASA.
Constructed in 1965, Test Stand 4670 served as the backbone for Saturn V propulsion testing for the Apollo program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Later, it was modified to support testing of the space shuttle external tank and main engine systems. The facility has been inactive since 1998.
NASA identified the 300-foot-tall, vertical firing test stand at Marshall as an underutilized facility and posted a notice of availability in 2017 to gauge commercial interest in its use. Blue Origin responded and a team was commissioned to begin exploring the proposed partnership.
Under the agreement, Blue Origin will pay for the investments it makes to prepare the test stand for use, as well as any direct costs NASA incurs as a result of Blue Origin use of the stand, maximizing the value derived from taxpayer investment in government facilities.
NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard said this test stand once helped power NASA’s first launches to the Moon, which eventually led to the emergence of an entirely new economic sector — commercial space. Now, it will have a role in their ongoing commitment to facilitate growth in this sector.
Bob Smith, Blue Origin's CEO, added that the company is thrilled regarding this partnership with NASA to acceptance test both BE-4 and BE-3U engines at Test Stand 4670, the historic site for testing the Saturn V first stage and the space shuttle main engine. Through this agreement, Blue Origin will provide for the refurbishment, restoration and modernization of this piece of American history — and bring the sounds of rocket engines firing back to Huntsville.
To learn more about NASA's strategic partnerships to advance America’s space exploration goals and commercial space industry, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/partnerships.html
