Water Deluge Permit Needed For New Glenn Sound Suppression System at LC-36

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has granted Blue Orgin’s application for a water deluge system at Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral. It now appears that Blue Origin now has no remaining regulatory hurdles prior to the planned static fire of New Glenn’s first stage and its eventual launch at some point in the near future.

Blue Origin implemented the water deluge system to suppress sound and manage the intense acoustic energy generated during New Glenn launches. When engine exhaust gases surpass the speed of sound, they collide with the surrounding air, creating shockwaves and noise levels reaching nearly 200 decibels. This powerful energy can reflect off the launch platform and pad surfaces, potentially damaging the rocket or its payload. A water deluge system works to absorb or deflect that energy, helping to protect critical components during liftoff. It is used by all major launch service providers and NASA itself for SLS.

At the Eastern Range (KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection handles environmental permitting for a water deluge system. Without the FDEP permit, Blue Origin could not legally use the new LC-36 water deluge system, and as such, they could not conduct a full New Glenn S1 test firing.

The Notification From FDEP

“This permit authorizes the use of existing dry retention ponds for the final disposition of deluge water at Launch Complex LC-36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). During launch and static fire test events at LC-36, a maximum of 1,000,000 gallons of water (deluge water) will disperse through nozzles and pipes at the base of the launchhe mount towards the engines and plume of the rocket. Approximately 90% (900,000 gallons maximum) will convert to steam and be expelled into the atmosphere. The remaining 10% (approximately 100,000 gallons maximum) will flow to the Drainage Retention Area (DRA) 5-3 Stormwater Pond. A static fire test will be performed before each launch to test the launch readiness of the engines and the vehicle. The rocket will be held down while the engines ignite for approximately 5-10 seconds. Up to eight (8) launches and eight (8) static fire tests per year are proposed for LC-36.“

FDEP, November 7, 2024

Blue Origin will use potable (drinkable) water from the City of Cocoa. The permit anticipates 90% of the water used for each static fire and launch will end up as steam in the atmosphere, while the remaining 10% of it will be collected in a retention pond nearby the launch pad. The latter is being done to minimize any widespread distribution of pollutants captured in the deluge water during launch activities. While minimal, capturing those contaminants is good environmental stewardship and will effectively prevent Blue Origin’s activities from polluting the Saint Johns River Watershed in any meaningful way.

Blue Origin’s Pollution Footprint

Comparatively speaking, Blue Origin employs a relatively benign propellant mix.

Unlike NASA’s SLS (Artemis) rocket and most launches by United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin has thus far eschewed solid rocket motors, instead, for New Glenn, seven BE-4 engines will power the booster, and they use a liquid methane (CH₄) and liquid oxygen (O₂) propellant mix — or Methalox propellants.

When methane combusts, the primary byproducts are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O); the carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms in methane react with oxygen (O₂) to form these compounds, releasing heat in the process. Using an optimized mix of Methalox, Blue Origin achieves nearly complete combustion, minimizing pollutants from incomplete methane combustion, such as carbon monoxide (CO).

Solid rocket exhaust can contain hydrogen chloride (HCl), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄), water (H₂O), hydrogen (H₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂), along with trace contaminants, including minute quantities of metals.

Another important point is that New Glenn does not use RP-1, a highly refined form of kerosene commonly used as rocket fuel. SpaceX’s Falcon family, and the remaining United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets do use that petroleum-based product to power their boosters. RP-1 produces Carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions are produced, while hydrogen (H₂) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to yield only water (H₂O), with some unreacted H₂ also released. Both hydrocarbon-based fuels and hydrogen fuel produce nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollutants, as rocket exhaust temperatures exceeding 1,600 °C (2,900 °F) thermally combine atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂) to form nitrogen oxides. Both SpaceX and ULA are moving away from RP-1, given that Starship and Vulcan both Methalox-powered rockets.

All told, Blue Origin will probably be a very low source of pollution in any case, but now that their water deluge and retention system are approved, any pollutants the company does create launching and testing New Glenn will be adequately contained and monitored.