# Blue Origin bets billions on New Glenn rocket

> The company is doubling down on Florida facilities to fly over 100 rockets a year and challenge SpaceX's dominance.
- Title: Blue Origin bets billions on New Glenn rocket · Ars Technica
- Summary: The company is doubling down on Florida facilities to fly over 100 rockets a year and challenge SpaceX's dominance. Blue Origin announced major expansions to…
- Keywords: blue origin, new glenn, spacex, florida, cape canaveral, rocket launch, heavy-lift vehicle, technology, science, Blue, Origin, bets
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/blue-origin-is-going-all-in-on-the-new-glenn-rocket
- Published: 2026-10-16T10:00:54+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: blue origin, new glenn, spacex, florida, cape canaveral, rocket launch, heavy-lift vehicle, technology, science
## Blue Origin expands Florida launch capacity
Blue Origin announced Friday it will add two launch pads for the New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral, alongside two already under construction.
## New manufacturing and support infrastructure
Blue Origin is investing in a new manufacturing facility to produce up to one hundred fifty upper stages for a larger New Glenn variant.
## Customer integration facility with Space Force
Blue Origin will add a new customer integration facility built with the US Space Force, featuring four payload bays to process multiple missions simultaneously.

> building the capacity to support more missions, more reliably, and more efficiently
## Three billion dollars invested in Florida
Blue Origin has invested about three billion dollars in Florida facilities and infrastructure to support New Glenn construction and launches.
## Recovering from May engine failure
New Glenn's development stalled in late May when a BE-4 engine problem caused catastrophic loss of the vehicle and Launch Complex thirty-six A at Cape Canaveral.
## Larger nine by four variant in development
Blue Origin is building a larger nine by four variant of New Glenn with nine first-stage engines, compared to the smaller seven by two variant with seven engines.
## Positioning for NASA's Artemis Program
Blue Origin likely needs the nine by four variant to launch a human lander to the Moon for NASA as part of the Artemis Program.
## Key takeaway

Blue Origin announced major expansions to its Florida launch facilities, investing in new pads, manufacturing capacity and landing ships to support over 100 New Glenn flights annually.