Blue Ring

This article is about the Blue Origin spacecraft design. For other uses, see Bluering.

Blue Ring

Designer	Blue Origin
Country of origin	United States
Specifications
Payload capacity	3,000 kg (6,600 lb)
Power	Solar
Design life	5 years
Dimensions
Width	44 m (144 ft)

Blue Ring is a spacecraft platform designed to support spacecraft operation, under development by Blue Origin. The platform is to be capable of refueling, transporting, and hosting satellites.^[1] A prototype is expected to launch on New Glenn’s inaugural flight in early 2025.

The Blue Ring platform accommodates satellites using a primary payload adapter, capable of supporting a 2 t (4,400 lb) satellite, as well as 12 ESPA and ESPA Grande adapters, capable of supporting 500 kg (1,100 lb)-class satellites. In total, the platform can carry up to 3.0 t (6,600 lb) of payload, depending on the target orbit. The platform is marketed toward a number of destination orbits, include geosynchronous orbits, Lagrange points, cislunar and lunar orbits, and potentially interstellar space. Because of this capability, Blue Origin markets Blue Ring as a space tug as well as a satellite support platform. Other capabilities of Blue Ring include thermal management, communications relaying, and spacecraft refueling. Blue Ring itself is to be capable of refueling in orbit.^[2][3]

The spacecraft is to use a combination of chemical and electric propulsion—chemical propulsion for major maneuvers and electric propulsion for station-keeping maneuvers or to reduce the propellant demands of orbit changes. Electric power is provided by 44 m (144 ft) solar array wings made up of roll-out solar array blankets.^[2]

Blue Ring is designed to be launch-vehicle agnostic, allowing launch aboard carrier rockets with EELV-class 5 m (16 ft) fairings such as the Vulcan Centaur, Falcon 9, and Atlas V. The platform is also to be launched on Blue Origin's own New Glenn space launch vehicle.^[2]

References

1. Kan, Michael. "Blue Origin's New Spacecraft Can Build Projects in Space". PCMag. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
2. "Blue Origin Unveils Multi-Use Platform For Earth Orbit, Beyond | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
3. "Blue Origin Unveils Multi-Mission, Multi-Orbit Space Mobility Platform". Blue Origin. Retrieved 2023-10-17.