How long will it take to rebuild Blue Origin’s launch pad? We asked some SpaceX vets.
Summary
Ars Technica analyzes Blue Origin's launch pad destruction and SpaceX veterans' perspectives on rebuild timelines. The piece compares the AMOS-6 failure with Blue Origin's New Glenn test explosion, detailing how SpaceX rebuilt SLC-40 after debris analysis, remediation, and reconstruction took about 15.5 months from failure to first launch, with actual construction at 11 months. It also discusses design improvements—strongback throwback redesign, flame trench, and water suppression enhancements—and cautions that Blue Origin's timeline is uncertain, with insiders estimating around 12 to 18 months as the best- to likely-case window.