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It's not behind the Raptor in development. The Raptor has test fired but only a sub-scale. BE-4 design is finished and should not change anymore. We don't know
by nickik 9y ago
It's not behind the Raptor in development. The Raptor has test fired but only a sub-scale. BE-4 design is finished and should not change anymore. We don't know if it has been test fired or not, they are in the middle of the testing campaign and Blue Origin does not share that information.
The first BE-4 will be done long before Raptor, and it will fly before.
- valuearb 9y agoThe BE-4 blew up on the test stand a couple months ago when they tried to test it. It's not complete because they are likely redesigning to fix that. We know it hasn't had a successful test or they and especially ULA would be trumpeting it. The subscale Raptor was successfully tested nearly a year ago and is twice the power of anything BO has ever made.
- nickik 9y agoSorry that is wrong, the BE-4 did not blow up. A test of a component failed, problems like that are normal and they are still within the planed time line. The idea that if the had success they would 'trumpet it' is simply wrong, this has not been true in the past for Blue Origin and nothing has changed. Raptor might be further along now but we don't have the information.