Blue Origin is expanding its Rocket Park facility on Merritt Island with a $600 million investment called Project Horizon. The expansion will create 500 aerospace jobs with average salaries exceeding $98,000. Gov. Ron DeSantis called the move proof that Florida’s business environment attracts top companies. The new facility will build upper stages for the company’s heavy-lift New Glenn rockets, which are taller than a football field.
Project Horizon will add an 830,000-square-foot manufacturing space to Blue Origin’s existing Rocket Park complex. The company has already invested over $2.3 billion in Florida since 2015 and employs nearly 4,000 people across 11 sites in Brevard and Orange counties. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the expansion is the most ambitious chapter in the company’s decade-long commitment to Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Blue Origin to resume flights of the New Glenn rocket after a mishap investigation. The rockets are built at Rocket Park and then transported nine miles to Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for launch. State officials note Blue Origin is the only company in Florida that both manufactures and launches rockets.
DeSantis highlighted Florida’s role in advanced manufacturing and aerospace during a May 22 press release. He said the state’s policies have created an environment where companies can grow and keep choosing Florida. Blue Origin’s expansion is expected to reinforce the Space Coast’s position as a national leader in the industry.
The New Glenn rocket’s upper stages will be produced at the new facility, which is part of Blue Origin’s effort to scale operations. The company has partnered with over 500 Florida suppliers since 2015. The FAA’s approval comes after a review of safety protocols following a previous incident, though details of the mishap were not disclosed in the press release.