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<\/a><\/figure>NASA and Blue Origin announced Friday they recently agreed to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the company\u2019s New Glenn rocket on the B-2 test stand at the agency\u2019s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.<\/p>\n
The annex to a reimbursable Space Act Agreement signed earlier this month highlights NASA\u2019s commitment to working alongside commercial partners toward Artemis missions in 2027 and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cStennis continues to be a hub for the commercial space industry,\u201d said Sen. Roger Wicker. \u201cMississippi warmly welcomes Blue Origin\u2019s return to the coast and to our legendary rocket testing facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe success of Artemis II has roots at NASA Stennis, and I\u2019m excited about the prospect of Blue Origin establishing a rigorous test program in Mississippi as part of future American crewed missions to the Moon and beyond.\u00a0I hope its use of B-2 test stand becomes a long-term arrangement that broadens our state\u2019s contribution to space exploration.\u00a0I will certainly do what I can to make that a reality,\u201d said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.<\/p>\n
\u201cMississippi continues to play a vital role in America\u2019s space program, and this agreement between NASA and Blue Origin is another major win for Stennis Space Center. The world-class capabilities at the B-2 test stand will help advance the next generation of rocket propulsion while supporting high-skilled jobs and strengthening our nation\u2019s leadership in space exploration. I look forward to seeing the innovation that comes from this partnership,\u201d said Rep. Mike Ezell.<\/p>\n
Testing, targeted to begin this fall, directly supports NASA\u2019s work to achieve the national goal of landing American astronauts on the surface of the Moon and building a Moon Base near the lunar South Pole. These efforts aim to strengthen American leadership in space, unlock scientific discovery, drive innovation with industry, and prepare for human missions to Mars.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cWinning the new space race means moving faster and working alongside a strong commercial industry. Supporting Blue Origin at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center puts world-class American infrastructure to work advancing the capabilities needed to return astronauts to the Moon, establish a sustained lunar presence, and prepare for Mars. Partnerships like this strengthen our industrial base and help ensure the United States remains the world\u2019s leader in space,\u201d said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.<\/p>\n
Building on the successful Artemis II flight from April, Artemis III is a highly choreographed, multi-launch campaign that will require four astronauts to test rendezvous and docking capabilities of NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft with commercial human landing systems from Blue Origin and SpaceX in low Earth orbit.<\/p>\n
In addition, Blue Origin\u2019s New Glenn will be used to launch missions that will land on the Moon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud to partner with NASA and build on our shared\u00a0commitment to returning America to the Moon and our broader mission to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth,\u201d said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp.\u00a0\u201cStennis\u00a0helped take Americans to the Moon, and through this partnership, it will help\u00a0take us back.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May, NASA announced<\/a> the first three Moon Base missions to begin building sustained operations, including an award to Blue Origin to launch a robotic mission this fall. The company\u2019s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander will deliver NASA payloads to the lunar South Pole\u2019s Shackleton Connecting Ridge, demonstrating capabilities that reduce risk for astronauts to land on the Moon during Artemis IV and V in 2028.<\/p>\n To support upcoming testing at Stennis, NASA will provide the engineers, equipment, and building services needed to design, build, and install parts that will prepare the B-2 for second stage testing of the rocket named in honor of the late NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. The rocket\u2019s second stage is powered by two BE\u20113 engines that use liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants, with each engine generating 200,000 pounds of thrust in vacuum.<\/p>\n In addition to providing hands\u2011on technical support, NASA also will assist Blue Origin\u2019s test operations by providing dedicated workspace and sharing agency expertise and lessons learned from propulsion testing conducted at the test stand.<\/p>\n Blue Origin will work toward second stage rocket testing on a stand with a history of testing rocket stages for Moon missions dating back to the 1960s. The agency constructed the stand to test the Saturn V rocket stages that carried humans to the Moon during the Apollo Program. More recently, NASA conducted a Green Run test series of the SLS core stage on the stand before the Artemis I test flight.<\/p>\n For more information about NASA\u2019s Artemis program, visit:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/artemis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n -end-<\/p>\n Camille Gallo \/ Cheryl Warner Sallie Bilbo
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov<\/a> \/ cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n
Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
228-342-6512
sallie.n.bilbo@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n