Blue Origin, NASA Team Up to Hunt Asteroids and Protect Earth

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Blue Origin is partnering with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on a new mission called the Near-Earth Object Hunter, or NEO Hunter, to develop advanced asteroid deflection technologies. The concept would build on the success of NASA's DART mission, which demonstrated the ability to redirect the path of an incoming asteroid. The mission would utilize Blue Origin's Blue Ring spacecraft platform and multiple techniques like ion-beam deflection and kinetic impact to protect Earth from dangerous space objects.

Why it matters

Protecting the planet from asteroid impacts is a growing priority for space agencies around the world. While astronomers have not identified any imminent threats, the public interest in this topic has increased after a recent rise in meteor sightings across the U.S. This new partnership between Blue Origin and NASA aims to further bolster Earth's planetary defense capabilities.

The details

Blue Origin's Near-Earth Objects Hunter mission is still in the conceptual phase, but the plan is to use the company's developmental Blue Ring satellite platform to host various asteroid deflection technologies. These would include ion-beam deflection and direct kinetic impact to alter the trajectories of potentially hazardous space rocks. The mission would partner with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by the California Institute of Technology.

• In 2022, NASA successfully demonstrated asteroid deflection with its DART mission.
• Blue Origin plans to launch its large New Glenn rocket for the third time in early 2026.

What’s next

Blue Origin plans to launch its large New Glenn rocket for the third time in early 2026, which could potentially be used to deploy the NEO Hunter mission.