Blue origin plans

Some very interesting newspace news this week, with NASA picking 4 firms to receive CCdev2 funding (yes I know in a pure libertarian sense a government agency like NASA shouldn't be picking winners to fund like this, but is a darn better use of money than spending billions on a NASA designed heavy lifter).

The biggest surprise is the inclusion of Amazon founder Jeff Bezo's firm Blue Origin, and the news that they are working on a VTVL orbital system. Like the other winners (SNC and Boeing) they are going to develop a capsule (that makes a powered landing rather than parachuting into the sea like SpaceX Dragon) to be launched on an existing expendable launcher, and eventually their own reusable booster. None of these would be able to compete with SpaceX on cost using existing launchers, so will be interesting to see how long it takes them to bring this online, and how SpaceX responds to being leapfrogged in the tech stakes (as I'd said before the best course of action for them would be a flyback booster based on F9 1st stage).

Previously they had described how their suborbital vehicle would consist of a booster and a manned capsule which would land separately. This makes a lot more sense now as it is how they are planning to operate an orbital system. Hopefully will lead to a full SSTO!