[DigitalToday reporter Jae-won Choi (최재원)] Blue Origin, the U.S. space company founded by Jeff Bezos, will significantly expand production facilities and launch infrastructure in Florida to increase the number of launches of its large reusable New Glenn rocket. It aims to build a system capable of launching multiple times a week by the late 2020s.

According to CNBC, Blue Origin plans to build two additional launch pads dedicated to New Glenn at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will also restore the existing LC-36A pad and build a new LC-36B pad at the same time.

Blue Origin will spend $330 million on expanding its production facilities. It plans to expand its Rocket Park campus near the Kennedy Space Center and build facilities capable of producing up to 150 New Glenn 9×4 upper stages a year by summer 2027.

It is also seeking to increase the number of permitted launches. Blue Origin has begun an environmental assessment process to raise the annual launch limit at the LC-36 facility to 50 from 12.

With the U.S. Space Force, it is building a customer integration facility that can prepare multiple satellite launch missions at the same time. It also plans to secure two additional ocean landing platforms to improve recovery efficiency for reusable rockets.

Blue Origin has invested more than $3 billion in Florida facilities and infrastructure so far. More than 5,000 employees are working at more than 20 sites across Brevard and Orange counties.

Still, resuming New Glenn launches is an urgent task. In May, a rocket exploded during an engine hot-fire test, damaging the launch facility. The company has been carrying out restoration work with the aim of resuming flights within the year, but the actual schedule has not been confirmed.

As demand grows for satellite internet and national security satellite launches, attention is focused on what changes this expansion may bring to the competitive landscape with SpaceX.