Space Atlas

Blue Origin

Builds the New Glenn rocket, the BE-4 engine that also powers Vulcan, and the Blue Moon landers.

Founded
2000
Headquarters
Kent, Washington
Machines in the atlas
3

Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000. Its BE-4 methane engine powers United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan as well as Blue Origin’s own New Glenn, which reached orbit on its first flight in January 2025.

In May 2023 NASA chose Blue Origin as the second provider of a crewed lunar lander, Blue Moon Mk2; a smaller robotic lander, Mk1, is to fly first. On May 28, 2026, a New Glenn failed during a test-firing at Launch Complex 36 in Florida, wrecking the pad’s lightning tower and transporter-erector; the company says the rocket will return to flight by the end of 2026. In September 2026 NASA hired Blue Origin to build a communications relay orbiter for Mars.

Money from NASA

ContractValueYear
Human Landing System: Blue Moon Mk2 crewed lander (value at award)$3.4 billion2023
Mars Telecommunications Network: relay orbiter due by the end of 2028up to about $700 million2026

What it builds

Stories that involve Blue Origin

4 more stories

Sources

  1. NASA Selects Blue Origin as Second Artemis Lunar Lander Provider NASA, May 19, 2023
  2. NASA Selects Blue Origin as Mars Telecommunications Network Provider NASA, September 1, 2026
  3. New Glenn Return to Flight Blue Origin, June 30, 2026
  4. NG-1 mission Blue Origin, January 16, 2025