Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced that New Glenn will fly again before the end of 2026. Meanwhile, NASA’s Jared Isaacman told CNBC that the launchpad which exploded on May 28 may not be repaired until 2028.
The Cape Canaveral launchpad exploded during a hotfire test, preparing New Glenn for its fourth mission. Isaacman visited Launch Complex 36 the day after the incident to assess the damage and speak with the team. New Glenn was previously grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after its third mission failed to place its payload into orbit. The FAA’s investigation identified a “cryogenic leak” as the cause of that failure, allowing Blue Origin to resume rocket testing once the investigation closed.
Some LC-36 updates. Now that we’ve had access to the pad and integration facility we can share a bit of good news. The propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen and LNG tanks are all in good shape. This is good luck because these are very long lead items. The water tower is also…
— Dave Limp (@davill) June 2, 2026
The exact cause of the May 28 explosion remains unclear. Limp stated that New Glenn would likely fly again this year after regaining access to the launchpad and beginning its own investigation. He reported that the rocket’s fuel tanks are in good condition, noting, “The support tower is damaged but can be repaired in place rather than torn down and replaced.”
Updates from Limp included that the facilities’ propellant farm, including oxygen, liquid hydrogen, and LNG tanks, are reportedly in good shape, which is advantageous as these components typically require long lead times. He emphasized the urgency for Blue Origin to repair Launch Complex 36, as the company is a primary launch provider for NASA’s Artemis and Moon Base programs, where New Glenn plays a crucial role.
NASA has selected Blue Origin to launch the Moon Base I mission this fall. Additionally, the upcoming fourth mission of New Glenn is expected to carry 48 Leo satellites for Amazon’s broadband service. Blue Origin is also working on another launchpad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, having recently negotiated a lease for Space Launch Complex (SLC)-14. However, that facility will take approximately two years to prepare, delaying its operational availability until 2028.
