Blue Origin gets national security launch task order hours before New Glenn explosion

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force said May 29 it awarded Blue Origin a task order to launch a mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, and reaffirmed government support for the company’s New Glenn rocket following a launchpad explosion May 28. 

The award was issued under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program, a contracting vehicle designed for national security missions that can accept greater launch risk than the military’s most demanding space launches.

The mission, known as NRO Task Order-4, calls for a single launch for the National Reconnaissance Office between the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Space Force said the task order was awarded the afternoon of May 28, hours before a New Glenn launch vehicle exploded during a hot fire test at Cape Canaveral. 

“The U.S. Space Force and NRO remain committed partners with Blue Origin and will work with them on the New Glenn vehicle anomaly,” the Space Systems Command said in a statement. 

Col. Eric Zarybnisky, who runs the NSSL program at the Space Systems Command, praised “first responders and the Space Launch Delta 45 team who ensured public safety. This anomaly is a solemn reminder that the critical capability this community provides is rocket science and inherently challenging. The National Security Space Launch program will continue working closely with our Blue Origin partners to help identify the root cause and implement corrective actions.” 

Blue Origin’s chief executive David Limp said in a social media post May 30 that the company has “regained some access to Launch Complex 36 and are actively investigating the hotfire anomaly. We will start clearing the pad soon and have a good rebuild plan in place.”

The NSSL award comes as the Pentagon seeks to expand the number of launch providers available for military and intelligence missions amid growing demand for access to space.

Unlike the more demanding NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 missions, which require full certification and are reserved for the highest-value national security payloads, Lane 1 missions are intended to resemble commercial procurements and are open to providers that have completed at least one successful flight and been admitted to the Lane 1 contract vehicle.

Blue Origin became eligible to compete for Lane 1 missions in June 2024, along with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.

The Space Force did not disclose the value of the task order.