Blue Origin announced a shift to a new launch configuration after the New Glenn rocket explosion last month and plans to resume flights before the end of the year. Instead of restoring the damaged launch pad, the company will implement a hybrid horizontal-vertical system.
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a note on the company website that Blue Origin «does not restore the former table» and instead will use existing infrastructure developed for a larger New Glenn version called «9x4».
“We take our responsibility as a launch services provider very seriously and intend to return to flights with the reliability our mission requires,” Limp wrote.
The explosion occurred during static fire tests at Blue Origin’s launch complex in Florida in May. As a result of the incident, the lightning arrester, the transportation-mounting assembly, and the hydraulic cylinders of the launch table were destroyed. Reconstruction work is currently underway.
Limp wrote on X that the new configuration “will also make it possible to increase launch frequency.”
The company continues investigating the causes of the May incident. According to Limp, preliminary data point to the rocket’s first stage aft section as a possible source of the malfunction.
The accident affected the interests of several parties. Blue Origin is a partner in NASA’s Artemis program and was selected to launch the Blue Moon unmanned landing module on this year’s New Glenn rocket. Amazon and AST SpaceMobile are also counting on Blue Origin to place their internet satellites into orbit.
The explosion occurred several days before the scheduled launch of Amazon’s Leo satellites.
Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin to compete with SpaceX in the market for reusable rockets and launch services.