Blue Origin has identified the failure of the BE-3PM engine nozzle as the cause of the anomaly experienced during the NS-23 flight, which led to its abort. The company declared that the thermo-structural failure of the engine nozzle resulted in thrust misalignment. All systems designed to protect public safety functioned as planned, including the Crew Capsule escape system, which triggered correctly due to the misalignment. The investigation included representatives from FAA, NTSB, and NASA’s Flight Opportunities Programme and Commercial Crew Office. Blue Origin has implemented corrective actions, including design changes to the combustion chamber and operating parameters, to reduce engine nozzle bulk and hot-streak temperatures. The company has also made additional design changes to the nozzle to improve structural performance under thermal and dynamic loads.
Blue Origin has identified the engine nozzle failure as the cause of the anomaly experienced during its NS-23 flight, resulting in the mission’s abort. The company stated that the direct cause of the failure was a thermo-structural failure of the BE-3PM engine nozzle, which resulted in thrust misalignment. All systems designed to protect public safety functioned as planned during the September 2022 incident. The Crew Capsule escape system, which functioned correctly throughout the flight, triggered properly due to the misalignment. An investigation was conducted with FAA oversight, including representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and NASA’s Flight Opportunities Programme and Commercial Crew Office. The investigation utilized onboard video and telemetry, flight hardware recovered from the field, and Blue Origin’s materials labs and test facilities. The company has implemented corrective actions, including design changes to the combustion chamber and operating parameters, to reduce engine nozzle bulk and hot-streak temperatures. Blue Origin has also made additional design changes to the nozzle to improve structural performance under thermal and dynamic loads.
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