Blue Origin Expands Florida New Glenn Infrastructure

Blue Origin said on 16 October 2026 that it will add new launch pads on Florida’s Space Coast and expand factories to raise the flight rate of its New Glenn rockets, Spaceflight Now reported, covering a Friday company announcement. Blue Origin’s own news page was not readable in TSN’s fetch environment; figures and quotes below follow Spaceflight Now’s same-day account of that announcement.

Ian Richardson, Blue Origin’s senior vice president of operations, said: “These investments are centered on one goal: building the capacity to support more missions, more reliably, and more efficiently.” Looking ahead, he said, “this infrastructure is designed to support multiple flights per week by the end of the decade.” That cadence is a company goal, not a demonstrated rate today.

Pads, LC-36 and the FAA comment window

The new pads would be modelled on Blue Origin’s facilities at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Spaceflight Now reported. LC-36A is being rebuilt after a May static-fire explosion and serves the New Glenn 7×2; LC-36B is under construction for the 9×4 variant (nine BE-4 engines on the first stage and four BE-3U engines on the upper stage). The announcement did not name the exact locations of the additional pads.

Separately, the FAA is in a 30-day comment period on Blue Origin’s request to raise permitted flights at LC-36A from 12 to 50. A virtual public hearing is set for 22 October; comments close 30 October.

Landing ships, payload building and Rocket Park

With more pads planned, Blue Origin said it will add two new landing vessels. Returned boosters are to be serviced at a vertical integration facility under construction near LC-36. A payload processing facility, usable by Blue Origin and others, is being built with the US Space Force.

On manufacturing, Blue Origin is investing $330 million to expand Rocket Park for New Glenn 9×4 upper stages. Spaceflight Now, citing the company, said the 1.37-million-square-foot facility is anticipated to be completed by summer 2027 and would support up to 150 upper stages annually.

Richardson said Blue Origin has “invested more than $3 billion in facilities and infrastructure across the state,” with “more than 5,000 employees and 500 Florida suppliers,” and a footprint spanning more than 20 sites across Brevard and Orange Counties.

Year-end flight push and Vandenberg talks

Spaceflight Now noted that founder Jeff Bezos, in a Fox News interview earlier this month, said the company is still pushing to fly New Glenn 7×2 again before year-end — attribute that timeline to Bezos via Spaceflight Now, not as a completed schedule.

On the West Coast, Blue Origin is in early talks after the US Space Force selected it in April to pursue discussions on developing Space Launch Complex 14 at Vandenberg; the site would need full environmental review before major build-out.

Why it matters

After the May test-fire setback, Blue Origin is selling a Florida capacity story: more pads (sites still unnamed), more ships, more upper-stage floor space, and an FAA ask to lift LC-36A’s annual permit. Readers should keep the end-of-decade “multiple flights per week” line in the goal column until flight history catches up.

What’s still unknown

Where the additional Florida pads would sit
When LC-36A rebuild and LC-36B enter service
Whether the FAA approves the jump from 12 to 50 annual flights at LC-36A

What to watch

Watch the FAA hearing on 22 October, the comment deadline on 30 October, and any company naming of the new pad sites.

What this means

New Florida pads modelled on LC-36 — locations not named.
$330m Rocket Park expansion aimed at up to 150 upper stages a year by summer 2027 (company timing).
Multiple flights per week by end of decade is a Blue Origin goal.