infrastructureScore 80/100Research
Starship BDA expected to be approximately 12,000 feet diameter versus New Glenn's 7,174 feet; significant safety infrastructure expansion needed at SpaceX pads 39A and 37
Dave Limp· Blue Origin· Space· 2026-06-03· about SpaceX (TSLA)
“When we talk in comparison Starship is bigger. And with 100% TNT black equivalency based on the amount of fuel that Starship has, we think that BDA will be on average on or around 12,000 feet from a diameter perspective.”
Why it matters
Starship's much larger BDA (12,000 ft vs 7,174 ft for New Glenn) will require expanded safety zones, blast hardening, and redundant infrastructure at pads 39A and 37. This signals SpaceX's need for significant capital investment in pad safety systems.
Investment implication
Suppliers of blast deflection systems, hardened structures, explosive detection, and emergency response systems should expect demand from SpaceX's Starship pad upgrades. This also constrains concurrent launch capability if BDA zones overlap.