Blue Origin has opened a new manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Florida, dedicated to building the Blue Moon lander for NASA's upcoming Artemis missions. The company has invested $3 billion in its Space Coast campus over the past decade, significantly expanding its production capabilities for the nation's return to the moon.
The new facility, named Lunar Plant 1, is a key component of Blue Origin's strategy to support NASA's lunar exploration goals and will play a central role in constructing the crewed lander for the Artemis V mission.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Origin has opened "Lunar Plant 1," a 200,000-square-foot facility in Florida to build its Blue Moon landers.
- The company's total investment in its Space Coast campus has reached $3 billion over the last ten years.
- An additional 1,500 jobs are expected to be created, adding to the current 4,000 employees.
- The facility will build the crewed Mark 2 lander for NASA's Artemis V mission.
- An uncrewed Mark 1 lander mission is planned for launch by the end of the year on a New Glenn rocket.
Expanding Production for Lunar Missions
Blue Origin recently unveiled its latest addition to a sprawling campus located just across from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. The new 200,000-square-foot building, known as Lunar Plant 1, is specifically designed for the assembly of the company's lunar landers.
This expansion is part of a larger strategy that has seen the company invest heavily in Florida's aerospace infrastructure. According to company officials, the new plant is expected to bring 1,500 new jobs to the area, supplementing the 4,000 personnel already employed by Blue Origin in the state.
John Couluris, Blue Origin's vice president for its lunar permanence division, emphasized the facility's dedicated purpose. "It says lunar specifically, so no one has any doubt what we’re doing here in Florida, that we’re building our lunar landers here," he stated during a media tour.
The Artemis Program
NASA's Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon. To achieve this, NASA is partnering with commercial companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX to develop Human Landing Systems (HLS). These systems are crucial for transporting astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back.
Two Landers for Two Mission Types
Blue Origin's lunar strategy involves two distinct versions of its lander. The newly opened Lunar Plant 1 will be the manufacturing site for the Blue Moon Mark 2, the crewed version designed to carry astronauts to the lunar surface for the Artemis V mission.
Meanwhile, production of the uncrewed Mark 1 lander is already underway at a separate facility called Lunar Plant 2, located near Port Canaveral. This cargo version of the lander is slated for a mission to the Moon before the end of this year.
Path to the First Lunar Mission
Before its flight, the Mark 1 lander will undergo critical testing. Couluris explained the next steps for the vehicle. "Mark 1 is headed to Houston first for a review at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s thermal vacuum chamber," he said. After validation, it will return to Florida for final preparations and integration with its launch vehicle.
"We’re going to check it out, make sure it’s good, come out here, do some tests, integrate to New Glenn and then launch by the end of the year," Couluris added, noting the timeline is contingent on successful testing.
An Integrated Space Coast Hub
A key advantage of Blue Origin's Florida campus is the co-location of its manufacturing and launch operations. The massive 750,000-square-foot main factory, where the 322-foot-tall New Glenn rocket is built, sits on the same site as the new lunar lander plant.
"This is the only place where the rockets and landers are built, right near the launch pad. So we’re not shipping across country. We’re not taking delays in transport."
This integrated approach allows engineers and technicians who design and build the hardware to also be involved in its operation. Couluris highlighted the benefit of this synergy, stating, "if I have an issue on the pad, the person who actually did it can go out there."
New Glenn Rocket
- Height: 322 feet
- First Flight: January 2025
- Launch Site: Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Upcoming Missions: The Mark 1 lunar flight is scheduled to be the rocket's third mission.
The New Glenn rocket made its inaugural flight in January. Its second flight is anticipated before the end of October, with the Mark 1 lunar mission to follow.
Economic Impact and Strategic Importance
The expansion has drawn praise for its economic and strategic contributions. U.S. Representative Mike Haridopolos, who chairs the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, attended the tour and remarked on the rapid progress.
"It’s an eye opener, and I’m just so impressed how quickly they ramped up," Haridopolos said, noting that Lunar Plant 1 was constructed in only 18 months. He stressed the importance of the investment in the context of global competition, stating, "We have to win this space race."
Haridopolos also highlighted the creation of high-paying local jobs. He mentioned that local high school students are obtaining certifications that allow them to enter careers at these facilities, earning between $80,000 and $100,000 annually.
Competition and Flexibility in the Artemis Program
Blue Origin is one of two commercial providers for NASA's Artemis human landing systems, alongside SpaceX. While SpaceX's Starship is currently contracted for the Artemis III and IV missions, Blue Origin is scheduled for Artemis V.
However, company officials have indicated they are prepared to adjust their schedule if needed. "If NASA wants to accelerate us to go faster, then we would ramp that up faster," Couluris confirmed. "If they want us to go earlier, we would engage a lot faster." This flexibility provides NASA with important options as it works to return astronauts to the Moon.