- Blue Origin’s New Glenn will be used to launch missions that will land on the Moon.
NASA announced Friday that the federal space agency and Blue Origin have agreed to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the company’s New Glenn rocket on the B-2 test stand at the agency’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis.
The testing is said to directly support NASA’s work to achieve the national goal of landing American astronauts on the surface of the Moon and building a Moon Base near the lunar South Pole.
The agreement also supports the push to ensure U.S. leadership in space while unlocking scientific discovery, driving innovation with industry, and preparing for human missions to Mars.
Testing is targeted to begin in the fall of this year to aid Artemis missions in 2027 and beyond.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement that winning the new space race means moving faster and working alongside a strong commercial industry.
“Supporting Blue Origin at NASA’s Stennis Space Center puts world-class American infrastructure to work advancing the capabilities needed to return astronauts to the Moon, establish a sustained lunar presence, and prepare for Mars. Partnerships like this strengthen our industrial base and help ensure the United States remains the world’s leader in space,” Isaacman said.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn will be used to launch missions that will land on the Moon. The rocket is named in honor of the late NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth.
“We are proud to partner with NASA and build on our shared commitment to returning America to the Moon and our broader mission to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. “Stennis helped take Americans to the Moon, and through this partnership, it will help take us back.”
Frank Corder
