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Blue Origin

American aerospace manufacturer and space technologies company.

Blue Origin is a US-based company specializing in aerospace manufacturing, defense contracting, and space technology. They produce rocket engines for ULA's Vulcan rocket, as well as their own rockets, spacecraft, and satellites. Blue Origin is a key player in NASA's Artemis program and has received accolades for their rocket booster reusability efforts.

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Timeline

2000
Blue Origin founded in Kent, Washington
Blue Origin was founded in 2000 in Kent, Washington, focusing on developing rocket propulsion systems and launch vehicles.
2003
Rob Meyerson joins Blue Origin
In 2003, Rob Meyerson joined Blue Origin and served as the company's long-time president.
2005-03-05
Charon Test Flight
The company's first flight test vehicle, Charon, powered by jet engines, was tested on March 5, 2005, to develop autonomous guidance and control technologies.
2006-11-13
Goddard Test Vehicle First Flight
The next test vehicle, Goddard, first flew on November 13, 2006, with a successful flight.
2007
Amazon releases Kindle
In late 2007, Amazon released the Kindle, a digital book reader with wireless Internet connectivity.
2009
Award of $3.7 million funding by NASA for CCDev program
In 2009, the company was awarded $3.7 million in funding by NASA under the first Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program to develop concepts and technologies for future human spaceflight operations.
2010-11-08
Completion of milestones under CCDev Space Act Agreement
On November 8, 2010, it was announced that the company had successfully completed all milestones under its CCDev Space Act Agreement with NASA.
2011-05-06
PM2 First Flight
The early suborbital test vehicle, PM2, had its first flight on May 6, 2011, which was a short hop mission.
2012
New Glenn Design Work Begins
Design work on the New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle, named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, began in early 2012. It is expected to be a reusable launch vehicle with impressive payload capabilities.
2013-09
Filing of protest by the company with GAO regarding NASA's lease decision
In September 2013, the company filed a protest with the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) over NASA's plan to award an exclusive commercial lease to SpaceX for the use of Launch Pad 39A.
2014
BE-4 Engine Development and Agreement with ULA
In late 2014, Blue Origin signed an agreement with United Launch Alliance (ULA) to develop the BE-4 engine, intended for ULA's upgraded Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets. The BE-4 engine uses liquid oxygen and liquified natural gas (LOX/LNG) and can produce 2,400 kN (550,000 lbf) of thrust.
2015-09
Blue Origin publicly announced their orbital launch vehicle intentions
In September 2015, Blue Origin publicly announced their intentions to develop an orbital launch vehicle. They stated that the first stage would perform a powered vertical landing and be reusable.
2016-01
Blue Origin announced the New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle
In January 2016, Blue Origin announced the New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle. The high-level design of the vehicle was released, and it was stated to be many times larger than New Shepard.
2017-04
Jeff Bezos Selling Amazon Stock for Blue Origin
In April 2017, it was reported that Jeff Bezos was selling approximately $1 billion in Amazon stock per year to invest in the company.
2018
Bezos becomes richest person
In 2018, Bezos's net worth was calculated at $112 billion, making him the richest person in the world.
2019-05
Blue Moon Lunar Lander Announcement
Jeff Bezos announced plans for the Blue Moon crew-carrying lunar lander in May 2019. Blue Moon is designed to transport payloads to the lunar surface and facilitate future manned missions to Mars.
2020-04-30
Winning of $579 million contract for HLS development for Artemis program
On April 30, 2020, the company and its partners won a $579 million contract to start developing and testing an integrated Human Landing System (HLS) for NASA's Artemis program.
2020-06-06
Establishment of O'Neill Building
Blue Origin established a new headquarters and R&D facility, called the O'Neill Building on June 6, 2020.
2021-07-20
Blue Origin's First Paying Customer Flight
On 20 July 2021, Blue Origin flew their first paying customer, Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen, to the edge of space. The flight also included Jeff Bezos, his younger brother, and aviation legend Wally Funk.
2022-10-31
Delivery of BE-4 Engines to ULA
On October 31, 2022, Blue Origin announced the delivery of the first two BE-4 engines to United Launch Alliance (ULA) for integration on a Vulcan rocket. The BE-4 engines were part of the engine development program that began in 2011.
2022-11-18
Agreement with U.S. Space Systems Command
On November 18, 2022, an agreement was announced with the U.S. Space Systems Command for the company's New Glenn rocket to compete for national security launch contracts.
2022-12-06
Second Bid for Lunar Lander Development
On December 6, 2022, the company announced its second bid via the NASA Sustaining Lunar Development (SLD) competition to fund and develop a second lunar lander for transporting astronauts to and from the lunar surface.
2023-02-09
NASA Selection of New Glenn for ESCAPADE Mission
NASA announced on February 9, 2023, that it had chosen the New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle for the launch of the ESCAPADE spacecraft. The mission aims to explore Mars's orbit.
2023-05-19
NASA Contract for Blue Moon Landing System
NASA contracted Blue Origin on May 19, 2023, to develop and deploy the Blue Moon landing system for the Artemis V mission. The project includes an unmanned test mission and a manned Moon landing in 2029.
2023-06-07
BE-4 Engine Performance Test on Vulcan Rocket
On June 7, 2023, two BE-4 rocket engines performed as expected during a Flight Readiness Firing of the Vulcan Rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This successful test marked a milestone in the development of the BE-4 engine for ULA's rockets.
2024-03
Announcement of DarkSky-1 Mission
In March 2024, Blue Origin announced in partnership with the United States Space Force that the Blue Ring’s capabilities will be tested soon on a mission called DarkSky-1.
End of the Timeline
Blue Origin

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