Blue Origin Breaks Ground on LC-36B, a Second Launch Pad for New Glenn at Cape Canaveral

Blue Origin is developing a second launch pad, LC-36B, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to support the upgraded New Glenn 9x4 vehicle, alongside a new Vertical Integration Facility and a government-partnered Payload Processing Facility. The expansion reinforces the company's $3 billion-plus investment in Florida's Space Coast economy amid growing launch cadence demands.

Key Takeaways

Blue Origin is developing a second launch pad, LC-36B, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to support the upgraded New Glenn 9x4 vehicle, alongside a new Vertical Integration Facility and a government-partnered Payload Processing Facility.
The expansion reinforces the company's $3 billion-plus investment in Florida's Space Coast economy amid growing launch cadence demands.

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Blue Origin has begun construction of Launch Complex 36B (LC-36B) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, building out a second launch pad to support the upgraded New Glenn 9x4 vehicle. LC-36A will continue to serve as the operational home for the New Glenn 7x2 variant.

The expansion includes a new Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) specifically for the 9x4 vehicle, as well as a Payload Processing Facility (PPF) built in partnership with the U.S. government. The PPF will support both variants of New Glenn and National Security Space Launch (NSSL) providers on the Eastern Range.

LC-36 has deep roots in American spaceflight history, having supported a broad range of missions for NASA and commercial partners over decades. Blue Origin's decision to develop the historic site into a dual-pad facility reflects its ambition to achieve high-cadence launch operations and ensure infrastructure resiliency for New Glenn.

The project underscores Blue Origin's deepening commitment to Florida's Space Coast. The company now has more than 4,500 employees and has invested over $3 billion across more than 500 Florida suppliers, supporting a supply chain that creates thousands of additional jobs in the region.

Construction of LC-36B comes as Blue Origin continues to ramp up New Glenn operations following the vehicle's initial flights. The second pad will enable the company to increase its launch tempo significantly, supporting both commercial and national security missions while competing with SpaceX's Falcon 9 and forthcoming Starship for launch market share.