Blue Origin Secures Rocket Engine Contract Over Veteran Spaceflight Competitor
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Wins Key Contract for ULA’s Vulcan Rocket
(Condensed to ~600 words)
[Image: Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket launching into space | Caption: Blue Origin’s rockets are advancing with a major new contract.]
Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin, secured a pivotal contract to supply its BE-4 engines for United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-gen Vulcan Centaur rockets, marking a milestone in the private space race. The deal positions Blue Origin to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in launching U.S. government satellites.
Why It Matters
ULA—a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin—needs cost-effective engines to replace its Russian-made RD-180s, which have sparked political scrutiny. The BE-4 engines, powered by liquid methane and oxygen, promise lower costs and higher performance.
“We’re thrilled to support ULA’s national security missions,” said Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith. ULA CEO Tory Bruno called the BE-4 “the best system available.”
[Image: BE-4 rocket engine during testing | Caption: Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine, a methane-fueled powerhouse.]
Beating the Competition
Blue Origin triumphed over Aerojet Rocketdyne, a seasoned aerospace firm that proposed its AR1 engine. Analysts credit the BE-4’s advanced development stage and cost efficiency.
“This is a major victory for a startup,” said Bill Ostrove, space analyst at Forecast International. Founded in 2000, Blue Origin previously focused on suborbital New Shepard test flights but now steps into heavy-lift rocketry.
Big Plans Ahead
The contract accelerates Blue Origin’s Alabama factory plans—a 200,000-square-foot facility creating 400 jobs. The BE-4 will power both ULA’s Vulcan (debuting in 2020) and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, set to rival SpaceX’s Falcons and Northrop Grumman’s OmegA.
[Image: Concept art of Vulcan Centaur rocket | Caption: ULA’s Vulcan Centaur aims to reduce launch costs.]
A Blow to Aerojet
Aerojet’s loss sidelines its AR1 engine, previously touted as a “workhorse for America.” While Aerojet still supplies upper-stage engines for Vulcan and NASA’s SLS rocket, Ostrove notes the AR1 lacks a clear market as medium-lift demand shrinks.
The Bigger Picture
Blue Origin’s win underscores the fierce private space competition. With SpaceX dominating reusable rockets, ULA and Blue Origin aim to challenge through affordability and power. Bezos, funding Blue Origin by selling $1B in Amazon stock annually, is all-in on this new frontier.
[Image: Jeff Bezos at a Blue Origin event | Caption: Bezos’ investment fuels Blue Origin’s ambitious projects.]
CNNMoney (New York) | First published September 27, 2018
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