FAA Grants Orbital Launch License to Blue Origin
Authorizes Operations from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
The FAA has issued a Part 450 commercial space launch license authorizing the first launch of the Blue Origin New Glenn vehicle. The FAA determined Blue Origin met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements.
“By working closely with Blue Origin, the FAA issued this new launch license well in advance of the statutory deadline for the historic maiden flight of New Glenn.”
Kevin Coleman, FAA
The license allows Blue Origin to conduct orbital missions from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida with the reusable New Glenn first stage landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. It is valid for five years.
“The FAA is committed to enabling the success of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry without compromising public safety,” said the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Kelvin B. Coleman. “By working closely with Blue Origin, the FAA issued this new launch license well in advance of the statutory deadline for the historic maiden flight of New Glenn.”
"A big thanks to the FAA for the partnership, especially over the holidays," Blue Origin said in a post on X. "Here’s to NG-1 -- we are really close, folks."
The license was granted on the same day Blue Origin completed a successful hotfire test with the New Glenn booster. The seven-engine hotfire lasted 24 seconds and marked the first time we operated the entire flight vehicle as an integrated system. The multi-day test campaign leading up to the hotfire included numerous inert functional and tanking tests. The integrated launch vehicle included the first and second stages of the NG-1 flight vehicle, and a payload test article comprised of manufacturing test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter flight unit, and a 45,000 lb payload mass simulator.
Blue Origin had hoped for a first New Glenn launch in December, which obviously didn't happen. But the issuance of a launch license means that the new rocket's inaugural mission could come as early as this month.