Blue Origin Valuation Hits $140B in First External Fundraising

In a major milestone for the space company founded by former world's richest man Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin is reportedly raising funds at a valuation of $140 billion, according to the latest reports from Friday morning Beijing time.

Fundraising Details

The oversubscribed funding round has already raised $10 billion based on the $140 billion valuation. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the final size of the round may exceed the initial target of $10 billion.

This marks the first time Blue Origin has sought external investment since its founding in 2000. Founder Jeff Bezos has personally contributed $2 billion to this round, bringing his total investment in the company to $30 billion.

Bezos' Wealth and Space Ambitions

Bezos, who built his fortune by turning Amazon into an e-commerce and cloud computing giant, is currently ranked as the world's second-richest person with a net worth of $369.3 billion, according to Forbes. Over the years, he has funded his space ventures by selling Amazon stock.

(Source: Forbes)

Financial Targets and Revenue Projections

With the first external fundraising underway, Blue Origin's rarely disclosed financial data and growth targets have come to light:

• 2025 revenue: Approximately $800 million
• 2026 projected revenue: Approximately $1.4 billion
• 2030 target: Over $30 billion in annual revenue

A significant portion of this ambitious $30 billion target is expected to come from rocket launch services, satellite internet operations, and planned AI satellite businesses.

Satellite Internet Plans

In January of this year, the company announced the TeraWave satellite communications network, planning to deploy 5,408 satellites targeting enterprise, data center, and government customers with high-capacity connectivity. Satellite deployment is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Company Restructuring

After more than two decades of investment, Blue Origin has grown into a major aerospace enterprise with approximately 15,000 employees and facilities across multiple U.S. locations. CEO Dave Limp is driving operational adjustments, including layoffs and the suspension of suborbital space tourism flights, to concentrate resources on key technology development and fulfillment of NASA contracts.

In January, Blue Origin announced a suspension of New Shepard flights for at least two years to redirect resources toward accelerating crewed lunar landing capabilities. As of the announcement, the vehicle had completed 38 flights, transported 98 people across the Kármán line, and carried over 200 scientific payloads.

Setback: New Glenn Rocket Explosion

To realize its growth blueprint, Blue Origin must first overcome the challenge of returning its rocket to flight.

On the evening of May 28 local time, a New Glenn heavy-lift rocket exploded during a static fire test at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket was destroyed, and launch pad facilities sustained severe damage. At the time of the incident, the rocket was being prepared to deliver 48 Amazon Leo internet satellites to orbit.

(Image caption: May 28, 2026, Cape Canaveral, Florida — A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explodes during a test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launch pad.)

Investigation and Recovery

Investigations have gradually identified the root cause. On August 5, Limp disclosed that the anomaly originated from a main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, a finding confirmed by debris recovery and inspection. The company has conducted component testing and engine ignition trials, and is making minor modifications to the valve to enable rapid retrofitting of existing engines.

Reconstruction of the launch pad is also underway. Blue Origin has decided to adjust its rocket assembly and erection process: stages will be horizontally integrated in the factory, then transported to the launch pad, where a crane will raise the rocket vertically before payload installation. The company hopes this approach will enable a return to flight and increase mission cadence.

Timeline and Customer Caution

As of press time, Blue Origin is still targeting a return to New Glenn flight by the end of this year. However, customers remain cautious about this timeline. Scott Wisniewski, president of satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile, said during an August earnings call that while Blue Origin has made significant progress in repairing the launch pad and investigating the accident, AST is not basing its own satellite deployment forecasts on the company's year-end return-to-flight target.

(Source: Cailianshe)