Blue Origin has surpassed 4,500 jobs on Brevard County's Space Coast, with construction of its New Glenn rocket system expanding rapidly. The company announced the start of a $160 million payload processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on August 31, 2026, during a ceremony attended by senior executives. Jordan Charles, senior vice president of New Glenn, said the company is rebuilding the launch site after a May 28 rocket explosion and aims to resume launches by year's end.
The explosion damaged Launch Complex 36A, but workers are rebuilding it around the clock. Charles said over 1,000 people are working 24/7 to restore the site. "It's a beehive of activity," he said, standing near a pile of debris from the accident. The new payload processing facility will be built two miles southwest of the under-construction New Glenn launch complex.
The 120,000-square-foot facility will include four payload processing bays and two encapsulation bays. Laura Maginnis, vice president of New Glenn mission management, said the project will add "dozens and dozens of jobs" to the Space Coast. Blue Origin is also building a new launch pad and vertical integration facility for the New Glenn 9x4 rocket.
The company's workforce in Brevard County has grown rapidly as infrastructure projects expand. Charles said the New Glenn program has already created over 4,500 jobs, with more expected as construction continues. The payload processing facility is expected to be operational by 2027, supporting future launches from the Space Force Station.