Following a successful second flight of its new mega rocket, Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has revealed designs for an even larger version of the launch system. This new-look New Glenn will be taller than the historic Saturn V rocket and comparable in size to SpaceX’s Starship.
This super-heavy version of New Glenn will feature nine of the company’s rocket engines on the booster stage and four on the upper stage. This is an increase from the seven and two engines, respectively, on the current version. Blue Origin states that the current version will continue to fly alongside the new super-heavy variant. The company is now referring to the two versions as New Glenn 9×4 and New Glenn 7×2.
The added firepower will increase the New Glenn booster’s total thrust, allowing it to carry over 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit. This capacity is slightly below the current theoretical capacity of SpaceX’s Starship, which is 100 metric tons. SpaceX is working on new versions of Starship that could double that figure.
The larger New Glenn will also feature a much larger fairing, which is the forward-facing shield that covers the rocket’s payload. This will allow for bigger payloads at the top of the rocket. The added capability positions Blue Origin for missions involving mega-constellations, lunar and deep space explorations, and national security imperatives such as Golden Dome.
Blue Origin is currently competing with SpaceX for NASA missions to the Moon. The company highlighted this capability in a rendering released of the New Glenn 9×4, which showed a view of the new super-heavy rocket shortly after takeoff with the Moon appearing prominently above it.
The 7×2 version of New Glenn also received updates. Its total thrust has been increased, and it will now feature reusable fairings. Other smaller upgrades were made to reduce the turnaround time between launches.
The company has not set a date for the next launch, but it is currently penciled in for early 2026. According to the company’s CEO, Blue Origin may soon attempt to launch and land its uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on the Moon.