Blue Origin seeks to resume New Glenn launches by year’s end

Key Points:

• Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp reported that despite the May 28 New Glenn rocket explosion during a static-fire test, key infrastructure at Launch Complex 36, including liquid oxygen, hydrogen, and methane tanks, remains in good condition, allowing a potential return to flight by the end of 2024.
• The launch pad sustained significant damage, including the destruction of a lightning tower and transporter-erector, as well as structural harm to the main tower; however, repairs can be made in place without full replacement, and the company plans to adopt an alternative method for erecting the rocket.
• Limp anticipates completing repairs and the explosion investigation within seven months, aiming for a faster recovery than past incidents experienced by SpaceX and Virginia’s Wallops Island spaceport.
• Confusion arose from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s comments suggesting pad readiness might extend to 2028, but he clarified this referred to lunar mission timelines, not pad repair schedules.
• NASA continues to collaborate closely with Blue Origin, assessing the impact of the accident on Artemis 3 and lunar rover missions, with an update on Artemis 3 expected on June 9; for now, NASA remains committed to the mid-2027 Artemis 3 launch.