Blue Origin New Glenn rocket's return to flight postponed to January 2027

Abstract:

According to CNBC, Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, has postponed the return of its flagship rocket "New Glenn" to January 2027

Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a memo to employees on Wednesday that the delay was due to delays in rebuilding the Cape Canaveral launch pad, including the impact of severe weather during the summer. CNBC saw the memo.

“This small adjustment does not diminish what we have accomplished nor the importance of the work ahead,” Limp wrote. “Getting New Glenn back in the air remains our top priority — and it’s worth it.”

The Financial Times earlier reported on the memo. A person familiar with the matter told CNBC that

The January 2027 time point is about 10 days later than Blue Origin’s previous launch target

In May this year, "New Glenn" exploded during a hot test, severely damaging Blue Origin's launch pad in Florida. According to the original plan, the company will deploy 48 satellites for Amazon's Leo satellite Internet service in a few days. .

Since then, Blue Origin has quickly repaired the launch facilities and adjusted the launch pad configuration. Bezos told Fox News last month that the company still expects New Glenn to fly again in December.

Limp said Blue Origin has made great progress in recovery efforts, but he also noted that "it's not easy to rebuild at this speed."

“Your collective effort on the go-around has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Limp wrote. “In just six months, Team Blue accomplished what many thought would take years.”

The timing of this accident was not favorable. Blue Origin has been working to increase its launch frequency to compete with archrival Elon Musk's SpaceX for commercial and government customers.

The delay of "New Glenn" has also hindered the construction of Amazon's Leo constellation. Amazon relies on Blue Origin for launches as part of the project. Amazon has turned to other suppliers like United Launch Alliance and Arianespace in the interim, especially as SpaceX phases out Falcon 9 launches and prioritizes testing of its Starship rocket.

NASA has also included Blue Origin in multiple contracts for its Artemis return to the moon program, including a contract for a lunar lander.

Last month, Blue Origin announced new investments in its Florida launch facility with the goal of supporting multiple flights per week by the end of the decade.