An illustration of the new Launch Complex 36B pad (left) along with the rebuilt LC-36A. Credit: Blue Origin
WASHINGTON — Blue Origin disclosed new details about its plans to not only rebuild but also expand its Florida launch site, adding a second pad for a larger version of New Glenn.
The company announced Aug. 12 that it will add a second pad to Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. That pad, LC-36B, will be designed for the New Glenn 9×4, an upgraded version of the vehicle.
The announcement did not disclose a schedule for building the new pad. That work will include not just the pad itself but also a vertical integration facility for the rocket and a payload processing facility. The Space Force awarded Blue Origin a $78.2 million contract in October 2025 for the payload processing facility.
The company was already planning a second pad at LC-36 before the May 28 explosion of a New Glenn rocket on the existing pad during a static-fire test. That explosion caused significant damage to the pad, which the company is now rebuilding.
