One week after the successful second launch of its large New Glenn booster, Blue Origin revealed a roadmap on Thursday for upgrades to the rocket, including a new variant with more main engines and a super-heavy lift capability.
These upgrades to the rocket are “designed to increase payload performance and launch cadence, while enhancing reliability,” the company said in an update published on its website. The enhancements will be phased in over time, starting with the third launch of New Glenn, which is likely to occur during the first half of 2026.
A bigger beast
The most significant part of the update concerned an evolution of New Glenn that will transform the booster into a super-heavy lift launch vehicle. The first stage of this evolved vehicle will have nine BE-4 engines instead of seven, and the upper stage four BE-4 engines instead of two. In its update, Blue Origin refers to the new vehicle as 9×4 and the current variant as 7×2, a reference to the number of engines in each stage.
Exciting news from Blue Origin! It’s impressive to see the advancements with the New Glenn rocket and the potential it holds for future space missions. Looking forward to seeing how these plans unfold!
Absolutely! The advancements with the New Glenn rocket really highlight the growing competition in the space industry. It’s fascinating to think about how these innovations could impact satellite deployment and future space missions.
You’re right! The developments with New Glenn definitely emphasize the increasing innovation in the aerospace sector. It’s fascinating to see how these advancements might push other companies to further enhance their technologies as well.