There Seems to Be Good News for the Return to Flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket

In recent days, the huge explosion that occurred at pad LC-36A of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida due to a malfunction of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has made headlines worldwide. In addition to the loss of the first stage (GS1) and the second stage (GS2), there were extensive damages to the ground structures, fortunately without injuries. It was a critical moment for Jeff Bezos's company as it was preparing for its fourth mission, NG-4, to launch a group of satellites for Amazon Leo.

Initial reports indicated that reconstruction could take up to 15-18 months, leaving Blue Origin without active pads considering that LC-36B and another pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California are still in the early stages of construction. Good news came from the company's CEO, who wanted to reassure all enthusiasts (but also the U.S. government agencies).

Blue Origin Has Good News for the Return to Flight of New Glenn

According to a post by Dave Limp on X, after restoring access to the LC-36A launch site and the nearby integration facilities, initial estimates have been made. The facility dedicated to supplying fuel (liquid methane, oxygen, and hydrogen), including the large external tanks, is in good condition. Limp emphasizes that this is an important element since its complete restoration would have been quite lengthy due to procurement times. The water tower is also in good condition.

As for the support tower, which was damaged by the New Glenn rocket explosion, it can be repaired, and a complete demolition and reconstruction will not be necessary, thus reducing costs and timelines.

Good News for the First Stage

Good news also comes for the first stage Never Tell Me The Odds (in the process of restoration after its last mission) and for three second stages GS2 that were located in the integration facility; they are believed to be in good condition. This will reduce the final cost for restoring operations. Limp also added that Blue Origin will not move to the production of New Glenn 9x4, the larger and more powerful vehicle announced a few months ago. Blue Origin will remain with the 7x2 solution for some time, with the production of components reaching a good pace. This will allow the company to "accumulate" first stages for future missions. As for the transporter (launcher) destroyed in the explosion, it will not be restored. The company aimed to replace it with a vertical solution for integration, testing, and launching.

According to Dave Limp, "we will fly again before the end of this year. Gradatim Ferociter." If the company succeeds in this endeavor within the timeline stated by the executive, it would be an "engineering miracle" and a procurement feat of the components. If promises are kept, the Artemis III mission (scheduled for mid-2027) could again involve a Blue Moon MK2 lunar lander while proceeding with the launch of Blue Moon MK1 and the continuation of other commercial missions. In the meantime, we await information regarding the cause of the explosion, which has not yet been clarified while the first cranes for restoring the structures have appeared at pad LC-36A.