Blue Whale 1
Perigee Aerospace
Two-stage orbital launch vehicle delivering up to 200 kg to 500 km SSO.
Technical specifications
- Vehicle type
- Two-stage orbital launch vehicle
- Height
- 21 m
- Diameter
- 1,600 mm
- Launch mass
- 19,800 kg
- Payload capacity
- Up to 200 kg to 500 km SSO
- Main stage propulsion
- 9 x BLUE 1S engines, LOX/LNG, turbopump-fed
- Main stage Isp
- 326-362 s
- Upper stage propulsion
- 1 x SKYBLUE engine, 7 kN thrust
- Upper stage Isp
- 355 s
- Launch sites
- Esrange (Sweden), Whalers Way (Australia), South Korea
About
Blue Whale 1 is Perigee Aerospace’s two-stage orbital small launch vehicle, designed to deliver payloads of up to 200 kg into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. The vehicle stands 21 m tall with a 1,600 mm diameter and a launch mass of 19,800 kg. Its main stage is powered by nine turbopump-fed BLUE 1S engines burning LOX/LNG (liquid methane), providing a specific impulse of 326-362 seconds, while the upper stage uses a single pressure-fed SKYBLUE engine producing 7 kN of thrust at 355 seconds Isp. Blue Whale 1 features a high-strength carbon composite structure and a precision flight control system, and supports launches to polar and sun-synchronous orbits. Perigee has secured launch opportunities for Blue Whale 1 from Esrange Space Center in Sweden (in partnership with the Swedish Space Corporation) and from Whalers Way in Australia, alongside planned launches from South Korea.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
