A week after the successful second launch of its larger New Glenn booster, Blue Origin on Thursday unveiled a roadmap for upgrades to the rocket, including a new version with more main engine and super-heavy lift capacity.
These upgrades to the rocket are “designed to enhance reliability as well as payload performance and launch cadence,” the company said in an update published on its website. Enhancements will be phased in over time, beginning with the third launch of New Glenn, which is expected to occur during the first half of 2026.
a big animal
The most significant part of the update relates to the development of New Glenn which will transform the booster into a super-heavy lift launch vehicle. The first stage of this developed vehicle will have nine BE-4 engines instead of seven, and the upper stage will have four BE-4 engines instead of two. In its update, Blue Origin refers to the new vehicle as 9×4 and the current version as 7×2, a reference to the number of engines in each stage.
“The new Glenn 9×4 is designed for a subset of missions requiring additional capability and performance,” the company said. “The vehicle carries more than 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit, more than 14 metric tons to direct geosynchronous orbit and more than 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection. Additionally, the 9×4 vehicle will feature a large 8.7-meter fairing.”
The company has not specified any timeline for the introduction of the 9×4 variant. A company spokesperson told Ars, “We are not disclosing any specific timeframes today. The iterative design of our current 7×2 vehicle means we can build this rocket quickly.”
Comparison of New Glenn 7×2, Saturn V and New Glenn 7.4 rockets.
Credit: Blue Origin
Comparison of New Glenn 7×2, Saturn V and New Glenn 7.4 rockets.
Credit: Blue Origin
A source familiar with the company’s plans said the internal timeline would allow a 9×4 version of the New Glenn to fly as early as 2027.
Such a booster would be a remarkable vehicle, with lift capacity roughly equal to that of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. However, it will have a fully reusable first stage with a large payload fairing and will cost less than a tenth of the estimated $2.2 billion cost of NASA’s Super-Heavy rocket.