Public paper · October 3, 2026 · Space desk
Blue Origin New Glenn: FAA Draft EA Opens Comment on Raising Cape Canaveral Cadence From 12 to 50 Launches a Year
FAA seeks public comment through October 30, 2026 on a Draft Environmental Assessment for Blue Origin’s proposal to raise New Glenn launches at Space Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, from 12 to 50 per year. Virtual meeting October 22, 6–8 p.m. Eastern.
noticenearby.com/papers/blue-origin-new-glenn-slc36-draft-ea-oct-2026.pdf
The Federal Aviation Administration published a Federal Register notice on September 29, 2026 announcing a Draft Environmental Assessment for Blue Origin’s New Glenn cadence increase at Space Launch Complex 36A on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The FAA is the lead agency. Cooperating agencies include the Department of the Air Force, NASA, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Under the Proposed Action, Blue Origin would modify its existing vehicle operator license to raise the maximum annual New Glenn launch cadence at SLC-36 from 12 to 50 launches per year. The package also covers associated static-fire engine testing, downrange first-stage ocean platform landings, payload fairing recovery, and FAA approval of related airspace closures. The notice states the Proposed Action would not include new construction.
Comment clock and virtual meeting
- Public comment period on the Draft EA closes October 30, 2026.
- Virtual public meeting: October 22, 2026, 6:00–8:00 p.m. Eastern. Registration is required (link in the Federal Register ADDRESSES section and on the FAA stakeholder page).
- Docket: FAA-2026-9841 on regulations.gov.
- Unique ID listed in the notice: EAXX-021-12-14Y-1773227485.
- Draft EA portal: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholderengagement/blue-origin-new-glenn
Comments may also be mailed to Ms. Amy Hanson, c/o ICF, 1902 Reston Metro Plaza, Reston, VA 20190.
What “cadence” means for neighbors of the Space Force station
A cadence is simply how many launches a year the license would allow. Today’s analyzed ceiling at SLC-36 is up to 12 New Glenn launches a year. Blue Origin is asking the FAA to analyze up to 50. That is an increase of 38 launches relative to the prior analysis the notice cites. More launches can mean more temporary airspace closures, more recovery operations offshore, and more days when the surrounding Cape Canaveral / Kennedy Space area feels launch ops — even when no new pad is built.
This paper does not predict whether the FAA will approve the license change. It explains the public window that is open now.
Who sits at the table
The FAA leads because it licenses commercial space transportation. The Air Force / Space Force side matters because the pad sits on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA cooperates because of regional launch and range expertise. The Coast Guard cooperates on maritime and recovery safety. Residents, local governments, and businesses can still file comments in the docket even if they are not federal agencies.
How to read this notice without over-reading it
- It is a Draft EA notice of availability and comment — not a final license decision.
- “No new construction” means the paper’s Proposed Action does not add a new pad build in this EA’s proposed action description; it does not erase other projects elsewhere on the Cape.
- Airspace closures remain an FAA safety tool when launch windows open. Frequency of those closures is part of what a higher cadence can change.
Sources
- Federal Register (Sept. 29, 2026), Document 2026-19871, 91 FR 61550: Notice of Availability / public comment / virtual meeting — Blue Origin New Glenn Cadence Increase Draft EA, SLC-36A, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/29/2026-19871/notice-of-availability-notice-of-public-comment-period-notice-of-virtual-public-meeting-and-request
- FAA stakeholder page / Draft EA: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholderengagement/blue-origin-new-glenn
- regulations.gov Docket FAA-2026-9841
Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).
Notes and sources
- Author: Ryan Standley / Record of Sale, LLC / Notice Nearby.
- Discussed on @NoticeNearYou: (pending — fill xPostUrl after live post).
- Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).
Space desk · Notice Nearby public papers shelf. @NoticeNearYou post pending.
Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).