Fresh off a successful second flight of its new mega rocket, Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has unveiled designs for an even larger version of its launch system. The revamped New Glenn will stand taller than the iconic Saturn V rocket and will be on par with SpaceX’s Starship.
This super-heavy version of New Glenn will be equipped with nine rocket engines on the booster stage and four on the upper stage, a bump from the current seven and two. Blue Origin is now categorizing the two versions as New Glenn 9×4 and New Glenn 7×2.
The increased power will boost the New Glenn booster’s total thrust, enabling it to carry “over 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit,” which is slightly less than Starship’s theoretical capacity of 100 metric tons. SpaceX is actively developing new iterations of Starship that could potentially double that capacity.
The larger New Glenn will also include a significantly bigger fairing, which is the forward-facing shield that protects the rocket’s payload, allowing for larger payloads at the top. This added capability positions Blue Origin for missions involving “mega-constellations, lunar and deep space explorations, and national security projects such as Golden Dome.”
Blue Origin is currently competing with SpaceX for NASA missions to the Moon, and the company is clearly highlighting this capability in the rendering of New Glenn 9×4 released on Thursday.
The illustration depicts a theoretical view from the ground as the super-heavy rocket takes off, with the Moon appearing larger than usual above it.
The 7×2 version of New Glenn also saw some upgrades on Thursday. Its total thrust has been increased, and it will now feature reusable fairings. Additional smaller updates were made to reduce turnaround time between launches, according to Blue Origin.
The company hasn’t set a launch date yet, but it currently appears to be aiming for early 2026. According to CEO Dave Limp, Blue Origin may soon attempt to launch and land its uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on the Moon.
