NASA awards Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and his 91-meter New Glenn missile contract for future space missions starting in 2025
- NASA has named Blue Origin’s New Glenn missile a potential mission provider
- The firm owned by Jeff Bezos will be given the opportunity to enter into contracts
- This includes sending satellites into orbit or launching supplies to the ISS
- The contract will start in June 2025 and will run until the end of 2027
- However, New Glenn has yet to launch – it is scheduled for space in 2021
Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin is still a year away from its first flight to space, but NASA is confident it will be a success and has named the company’s New Glenn rocket a potential supplier for science missions.
Blue Origin was awarded a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract that will allow its 310-foot high reusable rocket to launch a series of satellites into orbit and make resupply flights to the ISS.
The announcement allows the US space agency to place orders with Blue Origin from June 2025 to the end of 2027.
NLS II contractors must be able to successfully launch and orbit a payload using a domestic launch service capable of delivering a minimum of 551 pounds (250 kg) payload in a circular orbit of 124 miles (200 km) with a slope of 28.5 degrees.
Scroll down for video
Blue Origin received a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract that will allow its 310-foot high reusable rocket to launch a series of satellites into orbit and make resupply flights to the ISS
Jarrett Jones, senior vice president, New Glenn, Blue Origin, said in a statement: “ We are proud to be in NASA’s catalog of launch services and look forward to providing reliable launches for future NASA’s launch services in the years to come. missions aboard New Glenn. ‘
“The award builds on Blue Origin’s existing partnership with NASA and will advance science and exploration for the benefit of the Earth.”
Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 and established a launch facility in West Texas 15 years later for its New Shepard and New Glenn missiles, which will be launched next year.
New Shepard, which has completed a number of return flights, is leading Blue Origin’s space tourism service and New Glenn will put satellites into orbit.
The announcement allows the US space agency to place orders with Blue Origin from June 2025 to the end of 2027. Jeff Bezos (photo)
New Glenn has yet to go into space, though – it’s slated for its first launch sometime next year.
Blue Origin also says it will use the massive reusable rocket to provide access to the moon and is part of the company’s broader mission, which aims to send one million people into space one day.
Blue’s launchers face stiff competition from several other aerospace companies including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.
However, SpaceX leads the pack with 100 launches of its Falcon 9 rocket and two manned missions the International Space Station.
The Musk-owned company also hit another milestone last week with the launch of its Starship rocket.
New Shepard, which has completed a number of return flights, will lead Blue Origin’s space tourism service and New Glenn will put satellites into orbit
Prototype serial number 8 (SN8) took off from the test facility in Boca Chica, Texas at 5:45 p.m. ET on December 10, ignited the Raptor engines and soared into the air to successfully achieve its goal of a height of 7.8 smiles (41,000 feet). ).
When Starship finally landed, it ignited in flames – and once the fire and smoke cleared, all that was left was a heap of debris and on top of it what was left of the craft’s nose cone.
However, Musk considered the launch a success – he said the prototype, although destroyed, amassed a wealth of data that will take SpaceX one step closer to sending humans to Mars aboard the rocket.