Blue Origin

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Blue Origin

File:Blue Origin logo.svg

Type	Private
Key people	Bob Smith (CEO)
Industry	Aerospace
Products	Sub-orbital and orbital spaceflight services
Website	[blueorigin.com Official website]

Blue Origin is an American privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000. The company is headquartered in Kent, Washington, and is focused on developing technologies to enable private human access to space with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel and increasing the safety of human spaceflight.

History

Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, with the vision of creating a future where millions of people live and work in space. The company’s name refers to the blue planet, Earth, as the point of origin.

In its early years, Blue Origin operated in relative secrecy, focusing on research and development. The company’s motto, "Gradatim Ferociter," which means "Step by Step, Ferociously," reflects its methodical approach to developing space technologies.

Technology and Projects

New Shepard

New Shepard is Blue Origin's sub-orbital rocket system designed for space tourism. Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, New Shepard is a reusable launch vehicle that takes passengers to the edge of space, providing a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.

The New Shepard system consists of a rocket booster and a crew capsule. The booster is designed to return to the launch site and land vertically, while the crew capsule descends under parachutes. The first successful flight of New Shepard occurred in 2015, and the system has since been used for multiple test flights and commercial missions.

New Glenn

New Glenn is an orbital launch vehicle currently under development by Blue Origin. Named after astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is designed to carry payloads to low Earth orbit (LEO) and beyond.

New Glenn features a reusable first stage, which is intended to land on a ship at sea, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9. The rocket is expected to be capable of launching both commercial and government payloads, with a planned first flight in the mid-2020s.

Blue Moon

Blue Moon is a lunar lander concept developed by Blue Origin. It is designed to deliver payloads to the lunar surface, supporting NASA's Artemis program and other lunar exploration missions.

Blue Moon can carry scientific instruments, rovers, and other cargo to the Moon, and is part of Blue Origin's broader vision of enabling a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Blue Origin has partnered with several organizations and companies to advance its goals. Notably, it is part of the "National Team" led by Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper to develop a human landing system for NASA's Artemis program.

The company has also collaborated with United Launch Alliance (ULA) to develop the BE-4 engine, which will power ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket.

Future Vision

Blue Origin's long-term vision is to enable a future where millions of people live and work in space. The company aims to build the infrastructure necessary for space colonization, including reusable rockets, space habitats, and lunar bases.

Also see

• SpaceX
• Virgin Galactic
• NASA
• Space tourism
• Reusable launch system