Blue Origin Adds Second LC-36 Pad for New Glenn 9x4 as 7x2 Repairs Continue
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Aug 17
Blue Origin Adds Second LC-36 Pad for New Glenn 9x4 as 7x2 Repairs Continue
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Aug 17
Summary
Blue Origin will restore Cape Canaveral’s LC-36 to a dual-pad complex, adding LC-36B plus a Vertical Integration Facility and Payload Processing Facility for the larger New Glenn 9x4 rocket.
May’s static-fire explosion destroyed the NG-4 rocket and heavily damaged LC-36A, cutting Blue Origin’s 2026 launch target from 8-12 missions to a hoped-for one.
LC-36A remains the priority, with Blue Origin still aiming to return the 7x2 variant to flight by year-end, while giving no timeline for LC-36B readiness or the 9x4 debut.
The 9x4 will use 9 BE-4 engines on its first stage and 4 BE-3Us on its second, allowing heavier payloads than the current 7x2 configuration.
Dave Limp said the new pad will need about 2,500 tons of steel, including a 700-foot launch tower, marking a new phase for the historic two-pad site Blue Origin leased in 2015.