Blue Moon

Tory Bruno
Tory Bruno

Former ULA leader Tory Bruno has joined Blue Origin and will head a new division, the National Security Group. He will report to CEO Dave Limp. The move comes three days after United Launch Alliance announced Bruno’s departure as its chief executive.

Bruno gave his most extensive comments to date on leaving ULA and taking on the new role at Blue Origin:

Specific details of Blue Origin’s plans for the new group have not been announced. It’s reasonable to say that, with New Glenn now in operation, they will first focus on completing their NSSL certification, followed by securing contracts for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.

Blue’s Path To National Security Launches

The gating item for Blue Origin is gaining NSSL certification. All signs point to Blue choosing a four-launch qualification cycle, and with two New Glenn launches completed in 2025, Blue Origin is likely to have the needed launches under their belt next year in 2026.

That began in 2022 when the U.S. Space Force approved Blue Origin’s New Entrant Certification plan. Launch providers can choose among four certification tracks, each with different flight requirements—ranging from 2 to 14—and varying levels of government technical oversight. Fewer flights mean more governmental scrutiny.

Certification Flights like NG-2 are just one part of the broader certification framework. They provide critical data to confirm that the launch system is mission-ready, helping ensure U.S. satellites that support both warfighters and intelligence operations are launched reliably and securely.

Sitrep After NG-2

Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 rising off of the launch pad on November 13, 2025. It would go on to have a completely successful mission.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn 2 rising off of the launch pad on November 13, 2025. It would go on to have a completely successful mission.
Photo: Charles Boyer

SSC took another key step in certifying Blue Origin’s New Glenn for National Security Space Launches (NSSL) following the successful NG-2 mission on November 13th from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SSC, one of the U.S. Space Force’s three field commands, manages a $15.6 billion annual budget focused on acquiring, developing, and deploying space capabilities that maintain U.S. dominance in orbit and beyond.

The U.S. Space Force’s Assured Access to Space (AATS) Certification Team from System Delta 80 (SYD 80) was on-site to observe the rocket’s second flight, a requirement under Blue Origin’s certification process with the NSSL program. SYD 80 oversees the program in coordination with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), jointly responsible for launch services supporting national defense and intelligence missions.

“This launch marks a major milestone,” said Lt. Col. Brian Scheller, SSC’s system program manager and chief engineer for SYD 80. “New Glenn is getting closer to supporting our highest-priority space missions.”

Scheller nor SSC gave any additional insight regarding Blue Origin’s position in the certification process, but it is likely that the company took another major step forward with yesterday’s successful launch.

What Are NSSL Launches For?

NSSL payloads are generally high-value assets not only in terms of cost but also in the time required to construct them. If the payload is lost, then the asset must be replaced, something that takes time — time that the original was not on station, contributing to the nation’s defense.

System Delta 80 plays a key role in the Space Force’s mission of assured access to space. It conducts launch and range operations alongside the 30th and 45th Space Launch Deltas and maintains essential test and launch infrastructure. These efforts support national goals in defense, science, and industry.

With an experienced leader of the caliber of Tory Bruno at the helm of Blue Origin’s national defense efforts, expect them to assume an essential role in highly lucrative NSSL launches over the next few years.

Blue Origin New Glenn launch
Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its debut launch in January. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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On November 18, 2025, Blue Origin filed a request to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to allow water discharges into the Indian River Lagoon, an environmentally sensitive area that is in a poor state after years of being polluted by industrial, governmental and even domestic sources.

Much has been made of this request in social media, but it seems like very few people have actually read the documents to see what is being asked.

That document is below, along with a factual summary of the information contained inside.

The Notification

DEP issued a Notice of Draft Permit (published Nov. 18, 2025) for Blue Origin to operate an industrial wastewater treatment facility at its Blue Origin OLS Manufacturing Complex located on Space Commerce Way on Merritt Island.

The draft permit (file FL0A00007-002-IW7A) would authorize up to 0.49 million gallons per day (MGD) of treatment, with planned discharges of 0.467 MGD of process wastewater and 0.015 MGD of non-process wastewater into a large onsite stormwater pond (about 402,981 sq ft), which then flows to the Indian River.

The Document

2025.10.27 Notice of Draft Permit-FDEP (1)Download

Wastewater Summary

The DEP document summarizes the wastewater treatment as:

Blue Origin’s site uses a centralized purified-water system to support component testing and cleaning operations across multiple buildings. Soft water from Building A is further treated in Building D’s Water Room using carbon filtration and reverse osmosis, then pumped to points of use in Buildings D, B, and G.

After use (mainly for tank proofing and rinsing), wastewater from Buildings D and G is routed back to Building D’s discharge manifold and then to the storm sewer system and an onsite stormwater pond; Building G returns via a dedicated wet well/pump system, while Building B has no return flow path.

The project proposes adding a continuous flow meter and an integrated, flow-proportional sampler (IW-1) at Building D’s discharge manifold to continuously measure discharge and collect representative samples before the water reaches the retention pond and ultimately the Ransom Road Ditch.

A major intermittent discharge source is periodic carbon-filter rinsing, storage tank dumps, and line purges done for preventative maintenance to reduce bacterial growth—also routed through IW-1.

Separately, Building A’s chiller plant cooling towers periodically “blow down” mineral-laden water to control solids buildup from evaporation. That cooling-tower blowdown would be discharged for surface-water disposal (IW-2) to the retention pond and then to the outfall toward the Ransom Road Ditch, rather than to the sanitary sewer.

The facility would discharge treated/conditioned wastewater to an existing large onsite retention pond (about 402,981 square feet) to provide dilution before the water ultimately flows to the Ransom Road Ditch, classified as Class II waters.

D-001 (existing outfall): permitted for up to 0.467 MGD daily maximum flow; the ditch segment described is about 48 feet long, with discharge at approximately 0 feet depth; location near 28°30’42″N, 80°40’51″W.

D-002 (new outfall): permitted for up to 0.015 MGD daily maximum flow; the ditch segment described is about 4 feet long, also discharging at approximately 0 feet depth; location near 28°30’36″N, 80°40’42″W.

Paraphrasal of FL0A00007-002-IW7A

Also contained in the document are prohibitions:

Discharge Requirements
The discharge shall not contain components that, alone or in combination with other substances or in combination with other components of the discharge:
Item Prohibited Condition
a. Settle to form putrescent deposits or otherwise create a nuisance
b. Float as debris, scum, oil, or other matter in such amounts as to form nuisances
c. Produce color, odor, taste, turbidity, or other conditions in such degree as to create a nuisance
d. Are acutely toxic
e. Are present in concentrations which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic to human beings or to significant, locally occurring, wildlife or aquatic species, unless specific standards are established for such components in subsection 62-302.500(2) or Rule 62-302.530, F.A.C.
f. Pose a serious danger to the public health, safety, or welfare
Reference: Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)

Limitations and Monitoring

The document calls for the following limits and monitoring activities:

Effluent Limitations Table
Parameter Units Effluent Limitations Monitoring Requirements
Max./Min. Limit Statistical Basis Frequency of Analysis Sample Type
Flow MGD Max
Max		 0.49
Report		 Daily Maximum
Annual Average		 Daily, when discharging Meter
pH s.u. Min
Max		 6
9		 Monthly Average
Monthly Average		 Daily, when discharging Grab
Oil and Grease mg/L Max 5.0 Daily Maximum Daily, when discharging 8-hr FPC
Nitrogen, Total mg/L Max 3.0 Annual Average Quarterly 8-hr FPC
Phosphorus, Total (as P) mg/L Max 1.0 Annual Average Quarterly 8-hr FPC
Units: MGD = Million Gallons per Day  |  s.u. = Standard Units (pH scale)  |  mg/L = Milligrams per Liter  |  8-hr FPC = 8-Hour Flow Proportional Composite

Public Input

DEP says it intends to issue the permit unless public comments lead to changes. The application and supporting materials can be reviewed at DEP’s Central District Office in Orlando during business hours.

Anyone interested may submit written comments or request a public meeting (with specific required information) to the DEP contact listed in the notice. For most people, the deadline to comment or request a meeting is within 30 days of publication (i.e., Dec. 18, 2025,
30 days from Nov. 18, 2025), and if a public meeting is held, the comment period runs until the meeting closes.

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New Glenn NG-1 standing tall at LC-36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station earlier this year. In the foreground is the lightkeeper’s house at the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.

Blue Origin has delayed the launch of its second New Glenn rocket to no earlier than Sept. 29. After flying a successful mission in January, Blue had stated that the target date for NG-2 was first in “late spring,” and later adjusted to NET August 15.

The prime mission for the launch is NASA’s ESCAPADE mission. New Glenn will carry two small satellites tasked with studying the Martian magnetosphere, and will be New Glenn’s first interplanetary mission and the first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission aimed at Mars. NG-2 will also carry a technology demonstration payload for ViaSat, in support of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate’s Communications Services Project.

A tertiary goal for this mission will be a successful landing of the New Glenn first stage on the company’s landing platform, which will be stationed downrange offshore in the Atlantic. Blue plans to fly as many as 25 missions with each booster, targeting significant cost reduction and operational efficiency for each flight, and is considered to be a necessity for the long-term financial viability of the company.

Blue Origin's recovery ship, Jacklyn
Blue Origin’s recovery ship, Jacklyn, while docked in Port Canaveral. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Finally, a successful second flight will serve as another technology demonstration for future customers, namely the Department of Defense, NASA and Amazon. Blue was awarded National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 heavy-lift provider status, and is a $2.4 billion contract for the company. Amazon has also contracted New Glenn for at least 12 launches of its Project Kuiper satellites, and Blue Origin itself is building out its first lunar lander, Blue Moon Mk1, part of its lunar lander services contract with NASA and the Artemis Program. That spacecraft will need a ride on New Glenn as well.

Whether Blue launches in September remains to be seen. Delays in new launch systems are hardly uncommon, and on its second flight, Blue Origin has a full plate payload and operations-wise. To successfully achieve each objective, the company will be sure to double, triple, quadruple check every component and procedure leading up to the launch, and then they’ll probably check again after that just to be sure. That takes time, and if any issues are found, it will take time to resolve them. The old axiom of “fly only when you’re ready” still applies.

So, as always, stay tuned. There’s more to come.

Blue Origin New Glenn launch
Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its debut launch in January. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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Blue Moon Mark I

At the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium meeting at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory’s Kossiakoff Center in Laurel, Maryland, Blue Origin’s Senior Vice President of Lunar Permanence, John Couluris, said today that the company plans to land the first “Mark 1” version of its Blue Moon lander “this year.”

The plan seems bold for a company with one orbital launch on its resume, with a second New Glenn flight ostensibly planned for next month. Some signs of that second launch have been seen at Cape Canaveral, for example, the second stage planned for that launch was hot-fired at the company’s facility at Launch Complex 36.

Blue Origin NG-1
Blue Origin NG-1 launch. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

The payload for the second launch of New Glenn is currently slated to fly NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE), a dual-spacecraft mission to investigate how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ magnetic environment and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape.

The EscaPADE mission implies that any Blue Moon lander flight would come on a third New Glenn flight, sometime in the second half of the year. That said, spaceflight schedules and timelines are often extended as unforeseen problems slow the given project. New Glenn itself is a perfect example, as it came several years later than originally planned due to roadblocks and challenges that arose in the design and assembly of the rocket.

At the same time, Couluris has consistently stated that the Blue Moon lander mission would come sooner rather than later. “This lander, we’re expecting to land on the moon between 12 to 16 months from today,” he said in March in an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. “That is what our team is aiming towards.”

The Mark 1 lander is a test mission, according to Blue Origin. “The Pathfinder Mission (MK1-SN001) will be a demonstration mission, with MK1-SN002 and beyond available to payload customers. MK1-SN001 proves out critical systems, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsions systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing within 100 m site accuracy, prior to the uncrewed NASA Human Landing System mission for the Artemis program.”

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