Blue Origin has unveiled its massive new rocket manufacturing facility on Merritt Island, marking a significant expansion of Florida’s growing role in the modern space race.
The 750,000-square-foot plant is dedicated to producing the company’s heavy-lift New Glenn rockets, which are now advancing through a high-tech assembly line. The process spans welding, plumbing, and testing phases before rockets move toward their eventual launches. Company officials compared the length of the production line to that of London Bridge, though media outlets were prohibited from filming or photographing inside the facility due to strict security measures.
Alongside rocket development, Blue Origin is also advancing work on its lunar lander, a spacecraft designed to support NASA’s Artemis program. The company says a test flight could take place as early as this year, positioning Blue Origin in direct competition with SpaceX for future NASA contracts.
Florida leaders have hailed the facility as both a major economic driver and a reaffirmation of the Space Coast’s central role in space exploration. Since the retirement of the Space Shuttle program more than a decade ago, the region has experienced a resurgence fueled by private space companies. In addition to Blue Origin’s investment, SpaceX operates a rocket refurbishment hub nearby and continues to develop infrastructure for its Starship program.
With New Glenn production underway and a lunar lander test on the horizon, Blue Origin’s expansion underscores the increasing importance of Florida in U.S. spaceflight and its ongoing rivalry with SpaceX.