BE-4
The Blue Engine 4 (BE-4) is an oxygen-rich liquefied-methane-fueled staged-combustion rocket engine produced by Blue Origin. The BE-4 was developed with private and public funding. The engine has been designed to produce 2.4 meganewtons (550,000 lbf) of thrust at sea level.
BE-4 in transport cradle | |
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Blue Origin |
| Predecessor | BE-3 |
| Status | Active |
| Liquid-fuel engine | |
| Propellant | LOX / CH4 |
| Performance | |
| Thrust, sea-level | 2.45 MN (250 tf; 550,000 lbf) |
| Throttle range | 40–100% |
| Chamber pressure | 134 bar (1,940 psi; 13.4 MPa) |
| Gimbal range | ±5° |
| Used in | |
| Vulcan Centaur New Glenn | |
It was initially planned for the engine to be used exclusively on a Blue Origin proprietary launch vehicle New Glenn, the company's first orbital rocket. However, it was announced in 2014 that the engine would also be used on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle, the successor to the Atlas V launch vehicle. Final engine selection by ULA happened in September 2018.
Although previously planned to fly as early as 2019, the first flight test of the new engine was launched on 8 January 2024 on the Vulcan rocket.