NASA to Support Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Testing for Artemis Missions

• NASA and Blue Origin have formed a partnership to conduct hot fire testing of the New Glenn rocket's second stage at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
• The testing, scheduled to begin this fall, will utilize the historic B-2 test stand, originally built for the Apollo-era Saturn V program.
• This collaboration aims to support Artemis missions, advance lunar landing capabilities, and prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Partnership Details

• The agreement is part of a reimbursable Space Act Agreement designed to accelerate rocket development through commercial industry cooperation.
• NASA will provide specialized engineering support, equipment, and facility services to prepare the B-2 stand for New Glenn's two BE-3 engines.
• Each BE-3 engine generates 200,000 pounds of vacuum thrust and operates on liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

Strategic Impact

• The initiative supports the national objective of landing American astronauts on the Moon and establishing a base near the lunar South Pole.
• Blue Origin’s New Glenn is integral to the upcoming Artemis multi-launch campaigns, which will require rendezvous and docking tests between the Orion spacecraft and commercial landing systems.
• This partnership serves as a follow-up to broader efforts, including Blue Origin's upcoming robotic mission to the Moon’s Shackleton Connecting Ridge using the Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander.