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It\u2019s also central to clearing a backlog of commercial launches for satellite operators, including Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper, an initiative to expand global broadband access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first, the company is on deck to launch Escapade, an ambitious inaugural mission for NASA that will send twin spacecraft to Mars to study the planet\u2019s magnetic field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two spacecraft, built by Rocket Lab in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley, were recently completed and shipped to Florida for the launch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the window when Earth and Mars are closest to each other on their orbits around the Sun closes this fall, and some within the company are questioning if the deadline can be met even with round-the-clock work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All flight hardware is complete and the company is working on assembly and engine integrations, the Blue Origin spokesperson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even the most successful companies often face setbacks trying to inaugurate new rockets. Bezos, the world\u2019s second-richest person and Amazon founder, has been trying to get Blue Origin to orbit for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Founded in 2000, about a year before Musk\u2019s now-dominant SpaceX, Bezos has bankrolled rocket and engine factories, sprawling launch pads in Texas and Florida and hiring sprees that have pushed its workforce north of 10,000 employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lot of rocketry was figured out in the \u201860s,\u201d Bezos told Everyday Astronaut<\/a> during a tour of the New Glenn facility on May 30. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe thing that\u2019s not solved is making it low cost. That\u2019s about reusability, manufacturing techniques and other things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blue Origin has grappled with development delays, a sluggish corporate culture<\/a> and explosive setbacks<\/a>, including the recent episodes at its Florida rocket factory described to Bloomberg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first of the recent cases, factory workers moved a huge section of New Glenn, destined for the rocket\u2019s second flight, out of the Florida humidity and into an air-conditioned storage hangar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But they didn\u2019t properly monitor the hardware or have pressure-release valves and it chilled down to the point where it crumpled into itself, like a crushed Coke can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the second instance, a portion of rocket meant for New Glenn\u2019s third flight failed during stress testing and exploded in the building it was in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many employees have been working hard to try to meet the deadline for Escapade, with employees being recruited from other units to help support the New Glenn teams reach the launch window, one of the people said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of efforts to kick Blue Origin into a higher gear, in December Bezos gave the top job to Limp, an Amazon veteran known for speedy execution<\/a> and solving customer problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Limp moved quickly to shake up the company, prioritizing core projects \u2014 New Glenn, the BE-4 engine that powers it, and a moon lander for NASA. The CEO also brought on executives across supply chain, finance and human resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limp\u2019s not done: As of Aug. 21, the company\u2019s website listed open positions<\/a> for vice president of business operations and program management and vice president of manufacturing automation \u2014 suggesting Blue Origin is looking ahead to a time when it\u2019s flying to space more frequently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The CEO didn\u2019t have to start from scratch. Shortly after he started, Blue Origin finally resumed flights<\/a> with its space tourism rocket. In June, the Department of Defense selected<\/a> the company to compete for as much $5.6 billion (R100 billion) in contracts to launch future national security satellites into orbit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Blue Origin has touted a launch backlog worth $10 billion (R179 billion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limp\u2019s New Hires<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, over the last several months, Blue Origin has been able to overcome earlier hurdles to boost production and deliveries of its BE-4 engine, which also powers United Launch Alliance\u2019s new Vulcan rocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m feeling much better about BE-4s,\u201d ULA\u2019s Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno told Bloomberg in a recent interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTheir factory is up and running and engines are coming out. I\u2019m much more comfortable now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Dave-Limp.jpg\")
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