_(cropped).jpg) A launch of New Glenn carryingESCAPADE, on November 13, 2025 | |
| Function | Heavy tosuper heavy-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Blue Origin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Project cost | At leastUS$2.5 billion[1] |
| Cost per launch | US$68–110 million[2][3] |
| Size | |
| Height | 98 m (322 ft)[4] |
| Diameter | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload toLEO | |
| Mass | |
| Payload toGTO | |
| Mass | |
| Payload toGSO | |
| Mass |
|
| Payload toTLI | |
| Mass | |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 Vandenberg,SLC‑9 (future) |
| Total launches | 2 |
| Success(es) | 2 |
| Landings | 1 / 2 attempts |
| First flight | January 16, 2025 |
| Last flight | November 13, 2025 (ESCAPADE,most recent) |
| Carries passengers or cargo | |
| First stage – GS1 | |
| Height | 57.5 m (189 ft) |
| Diameter | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Powered by | |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Specific impulse | 340 s (3.3 km/s) (vac.) |
| Burn time | 190 seconds[10] |
| Propellant | LOX /CH4 |
| Second stage – GS2 | |
| Height | 23.4 m (77 ft) |
| Diameter | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Powered by | |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Specific impulse | 445 s (4.36 km/s) |
| Burn time | 644 seconds[10] |
| Propellant | LOX /LH2 |
New Glenn is a family of space launch rockets developed and operated by the American companyBlue Origin. The rocket has apartially reusable,two-stage design with a diameter of seven meters (23 ft).
Development of New Glenn began prior to 2013 and was officially announced in 2016. The rocket is named in honor of NASA astronautJohn Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. The inaugural vehicle was unveiled on the launch pad in February 2024. Its maiden flight took place on January 16, 2025, carrying a prototypeBlue Ring spacecraft, and marking the first launch from LC-36 since NROL-23 in 2005. It also served as the first of several demonstration launches required for certification for theNational Security Space Launch program.
As with Blue Origin's suborbitalNew Shepard rocket, New Glenn's first stage is designed for reuse. It lands at sea on a modified barge calledLanding Platform Vessel 1. On November 13, 2025, the first stage achieved its first successful landing. New Glenn is scheduled to launch Blue Origin'sBlue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on robotic missions planned forearly 2026 andlate 2027.
The original version of New Glenn, orNew Glenn 7x2, is aheavy-lift launch vehicle developed and operated by the American companyBlue Origin. The first stage is powered by sevenBE-4 engines, while the second stage uses twoBE-3U engines, both designed and built by Blue Origin. It launches fromCape Canaveral Launch Complex 36, with future missions planned fromVandenberg Space Launch Complex 9. It is one of three operational US heavy-lift rockets, alongside theVulcan Centaur andFalcon Heavy.
Asuper heavy-lift version calledNew Glenn 9×4 is in development. It features nine BE-4 engines on the first stage, four BE-3U engines on the second stage, and an enlarged payload fairing measuring 8.7 meters (29 ft) in diameter.
After initiating the development of an orbital rocket system prior to 2012, and stating in 2013 on their website that the first stage would do a powered vertical landing and be reusable,[11] Blue Origin publicly announced their orbitallaunch vehicle intentions in September 2015.[12] In January 2016, Blue Origin indicated that the new rocket would be many times larger than New Shepard even though it would be the smallest of the family of Blue Origin orbital vehicles.[13] Blue Origin publicly released the high-level design of the vehicle and announced the name New Glenn—with bothtwo-stage andthree-stage variants planned—in September 2016.[14]
Blue Origin began developing systems for orbital human spacecraft before 2012. A reusable first-stage booster was designed to fly a suborbital trajectory, taking off vertically like the booster stage of a conventional multistage launch vehicle. After stage separation, the upper stage would continue to propel astronauts into orbit, while the first-stage booster would descend to perform a powered vertical landing, similar to its New Shepard suborbital vehicle. From the earliest design concepts, the first-stage booster was intended to be refueled and relaunched to reduce the costs of access to space for humans.[11]
The booster launch vehicle was projected to lift Blue Origin's biconic Space Vehicle capsule to orbit, carrying astronauts and supplies. After completing its mission in orbit, the Space Vehicle was also conceptually designed to reenterEarth's atmosphere and land under parachutes on land, to be reused on future missions.[11]
Engine testing for the then-named Reusable Booster System (RBS) launch vehicle began in 2012. A full-power test of the thrust chamber for Blue OriginBE-3liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen upper-stagerocket engine (BE-3U) was conducted on a stand at theJohn C. Stennis Space Center (NASA test facility) in October 2012. The chamber successfully achieved full thrust of 100,000 lbf (about 440 kN).[15] By early 2018,[16] it was announced that the BE-3Uhydrolox engine would power the second stage of the New Glenn.[17]
Design work on the vehicle began in 2012, with the beginning ofBE-4 engine development. Further plans for anorbital launch vehicle were made public in 2015. In mid-2016, the launch vehicle was briefly referred to publicly by the placeholder name of "Very Big Brother".[18][19] It was stated to be atwo-stage-to-orbitliquid-propellant rocket,[12] with the launcher intended to bereusable.[20] In early 2016, Blue Origin indicated that the first orbital launch was expected no earlier than 2020 from theFlorida launch facility,[19] and in September 2017 continued to forecast a 2020 debut.[21] In a February 2016 interview, Blue Origin presidentRob Meyerson referred to engine development and orbital launch vehicle milestones.[22][23]
The vehicle itself, and the high-level specifications, were initially publicly unveiled in September 2016. New Glenn was described as a 7 m (23 ft) diameter,two- or three-stage rocket, with the first and second stages beingliquid methane/liquid oxygen (methalox) designs using Blue Origin engines.[14] The first stage is planned to be reusable and willland vertically, just like the New Shepardsuborbital launch vehicle that has been flyingsuborbitally since the mid-2010s. Although these plans would subsequently change, the 2016 plans called for the first stage to be powered by seven of Blue Origin'sBE-4 single-shaft oxygen-richstaged combustion[24]liquid methane/liquid oxygen rocket engines, the second-stage to be powered by a single vacuum-variant of the BE-4 (BE-4U) and the third stage to use a singleBE-3hydrolox engine.[14] In 2016, the first stage was planned to be designed to be reused for up to 100 flights.[5][6] Blue Origin announced that they intended to launch the rocket fromLaunch Complex 36 (LC-36), and manufacture the launch vehicles at a new facility to be built on nearby land inExploration Park.Acceptance testing of the BE-4 engines was also announced to be planned for Florida.[20]
Blue Origin explained in the September 12, 2016, announcement that the rocket would be named New Glenn in honor of the first American astronaut to orbit theEarth,John Glenn, with an inaugural flight planned no earlier than 2020.[14][25] Three weeks ofwind tunnel testing of ascale model New Glenn were completed in September 2016 in order to validate theCFDdesign models oftransonic andsupersonic flight.[26][27]
In March 2017, Jeff Bezos showed graphics of the New Glenn which had two largestrakes at the bottom of the booster.[28] In the September 2017 announcement, Blue Origin announced a much larger payload fairing for New Glenn, this one 7 m (23 ft) in diameter, up from 5.4 m (18 ft) in the originally announced design.[21]
By March 2018, the launch vehicle design had changed. It was announced that the New Glenn second stage would now be powered by two vacuum versions of the flight proven BE-3 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen rocket engine (BE-3U) with a single BE-3U engine for the third stage deep space option. The three-stage booster variant was subsequently cancelled completely in January 2019.[29] By mid-2018, thelow-level design was not yet complete and the likelihood of achieving an initial launch by 2020 was being called into question by company engineers, customers, industry experts, and journalists.[30][31] In October 2018, the Air Force announced Blue Origin was awarded $500 million for development of New Glenn as a potential competitor in future contracts, includingEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Phase 2.[32] The October 2018 award was terminated[why?] in December 2020 after Blue received $255.5 million of the $500 million.[33][34]
By February 2019, several launches for New Glenn had been contracted: five forOneWeb, an unspecified amount ofTelesat, one each forEutelsat,mu Space Corp andSKY Perfect JSAT.[35][36][21][37][17] In February 2019, Blue Origin indicated that no plans to build a reusable second stage were on the company's roadmap.[38] In the event, by July 2021, Blue Origin was again evaluating options for getting to a reusable second-stage design: Project Jarvis.[39]
In August 2020 the Air Force announced that New Glenn was not selected for the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 launch procurement. Due to this, in February 2021 Blue Origin announced that the first flight would slip to no earlier than late 2022.[33]
By December 2020, Blue Origin indicated that the BE-4 engine delivery to United Launch Alliance (ULA) would slip to summer 2021, and ULA disclosed that the first launch of the New Glenn competitor ULAVulcan Centaur would now be no earlier than 4Q 2021.[40] Blue Origin announced a further schedule slip for the first launch of New Glenn in March 2021 when the company said New Glenn "would not launch until the fourth quarter of 2022, at the earliest".[41]
By 2021, Blue had changed the published reuse specification for New Glenn to a minimum of 25 flights,[42] from the previous design intent of 2016 to support up to 100 flights.[5][6]
In March 2022, the expected first launch of New Glenn slipped to no earlier than Q4 2023.[43]
In January 2024, the first stage of New Glenn was being transported atKennedy Space Center from the factory to the launch complex in preparation for a 2024 launch.[44]
In February 2024, aboilerplate of both the first and second stages of New Glenn was erected onlaunch pad LC-36 for the first time. This test vehicle was not in flight-ready condition and had no functioning engines mounted.[45] In May 2024, New Glenn was rolled out again for additional testing prior to a planned launch later in the year.[46]
Information became public in July 2021 that Blue Origin had begun a "project to develop a fully reusable upper stage for New Glenn", under the name "Project Jarvis", just asSpaceX is aiming to do with theirStarship second stage. If Blue Origin is able to realize such a second stage design and bring it into operational use, New Glenn would become afully-reusable launch vehicle and would benefit from a substantial reduction in cost per launch.[39]
Beyond the technical changes indicated, Bezos created a new management structure for the new efforts, walling off "parts of the second-stage development program from the rest of Blue Origin [telling] its leaders to innovate in an environment unfettered by rigorous management and paperwork processes".[39][47] Part of the effort is focusing on developing astainless steel propellant tank and main structure for the second stage rocket, and evaluating it as a part of a solution for a complete second stage system.[47] In August 2021, Blue Origin moved a stainless steel test tank to theirLaunch Complex 36 facility, where ground pressure testing with cryogenic propellants was to take place.[47]
In addition to the Jarvis team working on a new second stage tank design, Blue Origin set up another team in 2021 to focus on design approaches that might be used to make a New Glenn second stage reusable, something that was not a design objective for the original second stage planned for New Glenn prior to 2021. As of August 2021[update], three approaches were being explored: addingwings to allow the stage to operate as aspaceplane onreentry; using anaerospike engine on the second stage that could double as a heat shield on reentry; and an approach similar to SpaceX's Starship concept using high-dragflaps in combination withpropulsive deceleration. A decision on which approach to take into full development was slated for late 2021.[47][needs update] In September 2024, Bezos said that Project Jarvis was investigating aluminum or stainless steelthermal protection systems, but that the expendable second stage was also continuing development and if it proved cheaper Project Jarvis would end.[48] Following the January 2025 successful maiden flight,Ars Technica reported that Project Jarvis had been shelved.[49]
.jpg)
On June 12, 2024, Blue Origin received itscommunications license for the inaugural flight of New Glenn.[50] The vehicle was selected for the U.S.NSSL program with expectation that the inaugural launch would occur no later than December 2024.[51]
Preparations began in earnest in late August for what was to be New Glenn's debut launch, carrying theESCAPADE mission consisting of twoPhoton satellites destined for Mars on aVADR contract from NASA.[52] After consultation with NASA, both parties was decided to forgo the Octoberlaunch window to avoid "significant cost, schedule, and technical challenges", as well as the risks of removing fuel from the vehicle in the event of a launch delay.[53]
As of September 2024, the debut launch was planned to be a demonstration launch for theUnited States Space Force'sNational Security Space Launch program, carrying a prototypeBlue Ring spacecraft platform.[53] The booster for the flight was namedSo You're Telling Me There's a Chance, alluding to the difficulty of landing a reusable booster on the first attempt.[54]
Testing continued in October 2024 with successful hot fire tests of the second stage.[55] The completed first stage (GS1) moved to the launchpad on October 30, 2024, ahead of the first flight.[56][better source needed]
The Flight 1 vehicle was moved to the launchpad on November 20, 2024, forstatic fire testing.[57] Fullwet dress rehearsal occurred on December 19, 2024,[58] and a 24-second static fire was conducted on December 27.[59]
On January 13, 2025, Blue Origin conducted their first launch attempt with the vehicle. After several slips in the countdown, the attempt was scrubbed at approximately 3:05 AM EST (0805 UTC).[60]
On January 16, 2025, 2:03 AM EST (0703 UTC), New Glenn launched for the first time.[61] Blue Origin reached orbit on its first attempt, injecting the GS-2 upper stage and the Blue Ring prototype payload intomedium earth orbit. Blue Origin stated that GS-1, the first stage of New Glenn, was lost on descent. Telemetry showed that the booster was traveling at an approximate speed of Mach 5.5 at an altitude of 84,226 ft (25.7 km) before it was deemed lost.[62][63]
Following the unsuccessful landing, a mishap investigation into the atmospheric reentry of the returning booster was led by Blue Origin, with the involvement and review by theFAA.[64] This investigation was successfully completed by March 31, 2025.[65]
On November 13, 2025, the first stage of the New Glenn rocket named "Never Tell Me the Odds" successfully landed on theLanding Platform Vessel Jackyln positioned 375 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. This would be the first time ever Blue Origin would launch a spacecraft to orbit and land the first booster, an accomplishment only achieved by SpaceX by that point.[66]
On November 20, 2025, Blue Origin announced the development of a newsuper heavy-lift version of New Glenn, designated New Glenn 9×4.[67] The variant will use nineBE-4 engines on its first stage and fourBE-3U engines on its second stage. According to the company, it will be capable of launching more than 70,000 kilograms (150,000 lb) toLow Earth orbit, over 14,000 kilograms (31,000 lb) on a direct insertion togeosynchronous orbit, and more than 20,000 kilograms (44,000 lb) to atrans-lunar injection trajectory. It will also feature an enlarged payload fairing measuring 8.7 meters (29 ft) in diameter.[7][68]
An image released by Blue Origin CEODave Limp depicted the New Glenn 9×4 as taller than theSaturn V.[7][68] While the company did not provide an official timeline, media reports indicated that the variant could enter service as early as 2027. Blue Origin stated that both the 7×2 and 9×4 versions of the rocket are intended to operate concurrently. Media reports also noted that the 9×4 configuration would offer lift capacity approaching that of NASA'sSpace Launch System Block 1A rocket while retaining a reusable first stage and a larger payload fairing, and could cost less than one-tenth as much per launch.[7]
New Glenn is a 7 m (23 ft) diameter two-stage orbital launch vehicle with a reusable first stage[17] and anexpendable second stage.[38] An optional third stage was envisaged with a single BE-3U engine, and was planned as of October 2018[update].[69]
The first stage (GS1[70][71]) is designed to be reusable for a minimum of 25 flights,[42] and lands vertically, a technology previously developed by Blue Origin and tested in 2015–2016 on its New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle. The second stage (GS2[70][71]) shares the same diameter and is "roughly 88 feet (26.8 meters) tall"[72] and is expendable. Both stages useorthogridaluminum tanks with welded aluminum domes and common bulkheads. Both stages also useautogenous pressurization.[69]
The first stage is powered by sevenBE-4 methane/oxygen engines—designed and manufactured by Blue Origin—producing 17,000 kN (3,800,000 lbf) of liftoffthrust.[5] Its liquid oxygen propellant tank has a volume of 30,000 cu ft (850 m3) while the fuel tank can store almost 25,000 cu ft (710 m3) of liquid methane.[73] The second stage is powered by twoBE-3U vacuum optimized engines, also designed and manufactured by Blue Origin, using hydrogen/oxygen as propellants.
The company stated in 2019 that the planned full operational payload capacity of the two-stage version of New Glenn would be 13,000 kg (29,000 lb) toGTO and 45,000 kg (99,000 lb) to a 51.6° inclined LEO,[5] though the initial operating capability could be somewhat lower.[69] As of 2018[update], dual-satellite launches were intended to be offered after the first five flights.[74]
Launches of New Glenn are made from theCape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, withLaunch Complex 36 (LC-36) leased to Blue Origin in 2015 in support of the New Glenn program.[14][19] As of 2023[update], Blue Origin and the U.S. Space Force plan to give New Glennpolar orbit capabilities through building a West Coast launch facility atVandenberg Space Force Base in California, to be calledSpace Launch Complex 9 (SLC-9).[75]
New Glenn will also be available forspace tourism flights, with priority given to customers ofNew Shepard.[76] The first stage boosters of New Glenn are intended to bereusable, and were originally intended to be recovered downrange on theAtlantic Ocean via their landing platform shipJacklyn, which would have acted as afloating movable landing platform. Thehydrodynamically stabilized ship would have increased the likelihood of successful recovery inrough seas.[17] That ship was scrapped, and a new landing barge namedLanding Platform Vessel 1, also nicknamed Jacklyn, was commissioned and became operational in 2024.[citation needed]
The main assembly of the New Glenn launch vehicle will occur in theBlue Origin rocket manufacturing facility inFlorida, nearLaunch Complex 36 (LC-36) which the company leased fromSpaceport Florida. Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) has hosted more than 100 launches, formerly launching theAtlas II andAtlas III rockets.[77][78]
Tooling and equipment for the factory began to be ordered and built in 2015. In July 2018, the build of the largest device, a 16 m (52 ft) tall × 41 m (135 ft) long × 13 m (43 ft) wideIngersoll "Mongoose"cryogenic-tank andfairing fabrication machine, was completed after a three-year design/build process. It was to be installed in the Florida facility inExploration Park later in 2018.[79][needs update] As of September 2018[update], Blue Origin had invested over $1 billion in its Florida manufacturing facility and launch site, and stated it intended to spend much more going forward.[17][80]
Blue Origin planned as of 2018 to offer both single-payload dedicated flights and, after the fifth launch, dual-manifesting of largecommunications satellites to betransported togeostationary transfer orbit (GTO).[81] All contracted launches from the start will feature areusable first stage, so just like the practice incommercial aircraft transport, landing conditions can affect the timing and flight parameters of a launch.[81] Following the inaugural launch of New Glenn in January 2025, with successful attainment of orbital payload placement but failure to land the booster stage, future launches are on hold while Blue and theFAA conduct a mishap investigation of the unsuccessful booster return.[64]
By 2018, Blue Origin had contracts in place with four customers for New Glenn flights.Eutelsat,Thailand startupmu Space Corp andSKY Perfect JSAT havegeosynchronous orbit communications satellite launches planned after 2020, while internet satellite constellation fleet operatorOneWeb had an agreement by 2018 for five launches.[36][37][82]
In January 2019,Telesat signed a multi-launch contract "to launch satellites for its future low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation on multiple New Glenn missions" and thus is Blue Origin's fifth customer.[83]
In 2022,Amazon announced that it had contracted 12 flights of New Glenn, with an option for 15 more, for deployment of theKuiper satellite constellation.[84]
In February 2023, NASA announced that it had selected Blue Origin to launch theESCAPADE spacecraft to Mars.[85] In May 2024, it was announced the spacecraft had reached substantial completion in preparation for launch later in the year;[86] however NASA subsequently moved the ESCAPADE payload from the first flight of New Glenn to a later flight of the rocket.[87]
In November 2024,AST SpaceMobile selected Blue Origin to launch some of its Block 2 satellites.[88]
Blue Origin intends to contract itslaunch services in a different structure compared to contract options that have been traditionally offered in thecommercial launch market. The company has stated they will contract to aim to have a regular launch cadence of up to eight launches a year. If one of the payload providers for a multi-payload launch is not ready on time, Blue will hold to the launch timeframe, and fly the remaining payloads on time at no increase in price.[81] This is different from how dual-launch manifested contracts have been traditionally handled byArianespace (Ariane 5 andAriane 6) andMitsubishi Heavy Industries (H-IIA andH3).SpaceX andInternational Launch Services can offer dual-launch contracts, but prefer dedicated missions.[81]
Thedevelopment and manufacture of the New Glenn is being funded byJeff Bezos, founder ofAmazon,[14][89] and theDepartment of the Air Force. Initially funded entirely by Bezos, after 2019 New Glenn will also receive $500 million in funding under theUnited States Space ForceNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.[90] By September 2017, Bezos had invested $2.5 billion into New Glenn.[21]
Flight No. | Date and time (UTC) | Booster | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome | Booster landing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 16, 2025 07:03[91] | GS1-SN001 So You're Telling Me There's a Chance[92] | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | Blue Ring Pathfinder[93] | Unknown | MEO | Blue Origin | Success | Failure (Jacklyn) |
| Maiden/demonstration flight of New Glenn, carrying a prototype Blue Ring spacecraft. FirstNational Security Space Launch demonstration flight for New Glenn.[94] The January 13 launch was scrubbed due to problems with the rocket. The second stage made it to orbit, but the first stage was lost and failed to land.[95] | |||||||||
| 2 | November 13, 2025 20:55 | GS1-SN002-1 Never Tell Me The Odds[96] | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | ESCAPADE (2 spacecraft) and a payload fromViasat | 1,070 | Sun-Earth L2 toAreocentric | NASA | Success | Success (Jacklyn) |
| SecondNational Security Space Launch demonstration flight for New Glenn, carrying the ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission for NASA as part of their low-costSIMPLEx program, aiming to investigate Mars'magnetosphere and a technology demonstration payload from Viasat. New Glenn deployed two spacecraft on a direct interplanetary trajectory. NASA paid Blue Origin about $20 million for the launch.[97] Delayed from October 13, 2024; it was originally intended to be launched on the debut flight of New Glenn.[94] A launch attempt on November 9, 2025 was scrubbed due to weather conditions, with a future launch date scheduled for November 12.[98] This was delayed a day further due to a solar storm.[99] First successful first stage landing for New Glenn.[100] | |||||||||
Launches are expected to take place "no earlier than" (NET) the listed date.
| Date and time (UTC) | Booster | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026[101] | GS1-SN002-2 Never Tell Me The Odds[102] | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 1 | Unknown | TLI | NASA (CLPS) |
| Will carry a prototypeBlue Moon Mark 1 lander, planned to make a landing on the Moon. During the mission Blue Moon will carry a payload called Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS), as part of a task order from NASA'sCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, awarded in July 2024.[103][104][105] Unclear whether this is a rideshare on Elytra-1 or if there is another launch so soon. | ||||||
| 2026[101] | Unknown | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | Elytra Mission 1 and others[106] | Unknown | LEO? | NRO & others |
| NRO Responsive Space Mission, carrying Firefly's Elytraorbital transfer vehicle and Xtenti's FANTM-RiDE payload dispenser. Originally planned to launch onFirefly Alpha fromSLC-2W atVandenberg, but was moved to New Glenn following the failure of "Message in a Booster" in April 2025.[107][108] | ||||||
| Mid 2026[101] | Unknown | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | KuiperSat × 49[109] | Unknown | LEO | Amazon (Kuiper Systems) |
| First launch of KuiperSat satellites on New Glenn to expand Project Kuiper internet constellation. Project Kuiper was also founded by Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos; however, the two companies are not directly connected. | ||||||
| Late 2027[110] | Unknown | Cape Canaveral,LC‑36 | Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 2 | Unknown | TLI | NASA (CLPS) |
| Will carry theVIPER rover,[111] which was previously cancelled in 2024.[112] | ||||||
[Blue Origin is] already more than three years into development of our first orbital vehicle ... Though it will be the small vehicle in our orbital family, it's still many times larger than New Shepard. [We] hope to share details about this first orbital vehicle this year
Bezos: "You cannot afford to be a space-fairing civilization if you throw the rocket away every time you use it. ... We have to be focused on reusability, we have to be focused on lowering the cost of space."
a sense of urgency in Europe about the need to begin flying the Ariane 6 to become more competitive with the likes of SpaceX ... Like ArianeGroup, United Launch Alliance (ULA) has developed a new rocket with the intention to compete with SpaceX.
New Glenn's fully reusable first stage is designed for a minimum of 25 flights, making it competitive for a variety of launch markets.
It took three years to design and manufacture the Sasquatch-sized machine, which stands 51 feet tall, 136 feet long and 43 feet wide. The machine ... will manufacture cryogenic tanks that will be filled with liquid oxygen and hydrogen to fuel rockets. The machine also will build fairings
Blue Origin's McFarland said Blue Origin won't let schedule disruptions with one payload impact the co-passenger in dual-launch missions, even if it means splitting the missions in two. "We are not going to [let this] hold back or delay a launch", he said. "We are going for a cadence of up to eight times per year where we will launch. If we don't have a second, we still go as a single. So that's the plan, [with] the same price point for the launch service for the customer".
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Air Force awards three Launch Service Agreements".Air Force. U.S. Air Force. October 10, 2018.Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. RetrievedJanuary 28, 2019.
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