Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has received a commercial space launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its New Glenn rocket. This five-year license allows the company to conduct orbital missions from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with the reusable first stage landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn debut will be a certification mission required by the US Space Force before it can launch national security satellites. Initially planned to carry NASA spacecraft to Mars, the mission has been modified to test technology related to Blue Origin’s Blue Ring program, which offers maneuverable spacecraft to the Pentagon.
The license comes after a highly competitive bidding process, with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance also selected for national security space missions. This marks a significant milestone for Blue Origin as it seeks to expand its presence in the US launch industry.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/bezos-blue-origin-gets-faa-license-its-first-new-glenn-rocket-launch-2024-12-27