Bezos tests first prototype rocket, not available with "one-click"

Amazon's Jeff Bezos has been keeping his Blue Origin space venture under tight wraps since its founding in 2000, but the company has now finally decided to show its progress off to the public, announcing that its first prototype rocket recently underwent a successful test flight and providing the pics and video to prove it. The craft, dubbed Goddard, took off from Blue Origin's launch site in Texas on November 13th, with the entire flight lasting less than a minute but apparently going off without a hitch. Bezos also seems to be hoping this latest development will fuel another recruiting drive, with the company taking the opportunity to announce that it has about 15 new job openings to fill. Check out another pic of the craft in mid-flight after the break, then click through on the link below for the grin-inducing video. No word if Bezos and crew engaged in a life-sized game of Lunar Lander after everybody else went home.

[Via CNET]

[Rick Person @ Jan 4th 2007 2:54PM]

Sorry not impressed. A good analogy would be Bezos developing the first super computer and celebrating the fact that the switch has been completed and works.

[Charles R Hamilton @ Jan 4th 2007 2:59PM]

Bad analogy. I can build a computer with parts from Radio Shack. This is doing what few private companies have done. And you can't get the parts or plans at Rockets r Us.

[Rick Person @ Jan 4th 2007 5:58PM]

HAHA....You're funny. The realization is that this isn't even a spacecraft yet. He managed to get a garbage can 285 feet off the ground. He hasn't even remotely begun to work out the logistics of getting a craft 180 miles up with a working life support system. Rutan on the other hand is actually dabbling with a spacecraft. It may be neat for Bezos but it certainly isn't as newsworthy as its made out to be.

[PDubNYC @ Jan 4th 2007 3:34PM]

Charles,
I think you missed his point. I believe he is saying that it is like building something really complex (like a supercomputer decades ago, not what you can build today) and getting all pumped up about completing the simplest goal, without even beginning to tackle the real challenges.

But maybe I misinterpreted.

ps- I would never ride in something that looks like a suppository. It just doesn't look like it has any business flying at all.

[badnegro @ Jan 4th 2007 4:24PM]

Sorry, but takeoff and landing are the most difficult and important parts of this particular type of venture (a crash landing on the moon is considered sub-optimal). What they've proven is that their lunar lander can *land*.

[Stevievep @ Jan 4th 2007 3:36PM]

Ha. The 'One-Click' remark made me chuckle.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 4th 2007 3:51PM]

Said Bezos, "Now that we have the top of our rocket done, we are going to work on the rest of it. But first, we will be applying for patents for our Super Human Interspatial Transporter. Please do not refer to it by its acronym. Bezos, Out!"

[Alasdair Allan @ Jan 4th 2007 3:58PM]

I think you're all missing the point. This is a big step, and if you look at the Blue Origin website that’s obvious to people in the business, or on the edges of the business like myself. See,

http://www.babilim.co.uk/blog/2007/01/first-launch-for-blue-origin.html

Jeff has run the entire thing as a skunk works project, nobody really knew what he was doing. It appears to be that he’s only released this footage so that he can recruit some new people with heavy lifter experience. He’s looking for people with experience with Delta IV or Atlas V. Those aren’t small vehicles. He isn’t in the sub-orbital business like Scaled and Branson, he’s going for an single stage to orbit lifter.

From the looks of things he’s basically up to where NASA and McDonnell Douglas was with the DC-X back in 1993. The Scaled design can’t scale to a craft which can obtain orbit, the Blue Origin design certainly can. That’s big news…

[Ian @ Jan 4th 2007 4:20PM]

Alasdair: how dare you comment and demonstrate acutal understanding! Only seasoned flight-sim players and avid readers of Star Wars(tm) novels are allowed to comment for they are the true experts on these matters.

[PDubNYC @ Jan 4th 2007 5:25PM]

I agree with your comments about the difficulties his team has overcome, and was quite amazed at the smooth flight the vectoring thrust seems to give. I was just trying to straighten out someone else's poor analogy, while I should have just kept quiet.

[Nick @ Jan 4th 2007 4:31PM]

I'm just happy that, because of this, I'm one step (however small or large) closer to getting in to space.
Although for a serious grin-inducement, I prefer watching the Swiss guy with the carbon fiber wings flying around... :)

[Charles R Hamilton @ Jan 4th 2007 6:10PM]

After rereading, I concur that I missed Rick's original point, my apologies. I disagree however that this is a small thing. Spaceflight by anyone is still not a small thing, 50 some odd years since it first happened. Spaceflight by private companies or persons is very much in it's infancy, and any positive step towards it is big news, I think.

[Charles R Hamilton @ Jan 4th 2007 6:14PM]

Also, be careful Rick, lest someone accuse you of being a "Rutan Fanboy" :')

[b00da @ Jan 4th 2007 6:43PM]

Well, Rick, the day you can put something fragile (like a human) into a garbage can, get the garbage can to lift on a propulsion system 285 feet, maintain stability and orientation while doing it, and then land again without breaking said fragile object will be the day you get to criticize their efforts.

[Rick Person @ Jan 4th 2007 7:40PM]

I'm really not trying to criticize this development, just wondering what the major hoopla is about it. Personally I don't think spaceflight will be a common day occurance until there are some major breakthroughs in Physics. Remember, the majority of people travel using the freakin wheel - how old is that now????

[kevin rummelhart @ Jan 4th 2007 6:44PM]

Kim Jong Il will be sooooo jealous....

[Joe @ Jan 4th 2007 7:00PM]

This is not new technology ... Bezos most likely bought it (and/or the original engineers who designed this prototype several years ago). None of this, up to 62.5 miles and then dropping back down will be useful. Getting into orbit, staying there for a few orbits, then coming back is the real trick.

[LTM @ Jan 4th 2007 9:20PM]

I prefer my flight adventures the old fashioned way....getting kidnapped by an alien mothership and getting my once a year probe checkup from the helpful staff.

[spaceman @ Jan 9th 2007 2:11AM]

chuck wagon food. Open fire biscuits … need I say more?