Blue Origin boosts New Glenn thrust with engine and structure upgrades

Blue Origin is rolling out upgrades to its New Glenn rocket to deliver higher thrust, faster turnaround, and greater launch flexibility. The company also unveiled plans for a super‑heavy variant to expand its reach to higher‑mass missions.

What We Know

Starting with the third mission (NG‑3), New Glenn’s first‑stage BE‑4 engines will see liftoff thrust rise from 3.9 million lbf (17,219 kN) to 4.5 million lbf (19,928 kN), thanks in part to propellant subcooling boosting per‑engine thrust from about 550,000 lbf to a target of 640,000 lbf—demonstrated in test stands at 625,000 lbf already. The upper‑stage BE‑3U engines will also be uprated, from a combined 320,000 lbf to 400,000 lbf over upcoming flights. These propulsion upgrades are paired with a reusable payload fairing, redesigned lower‑cost tanks, and a reusable thermal protection system to shorten turnaround times. Blue Origin also unveiled a super‑heavy variant, New Glenn 9×4, with nine BE‑4 and four BE‑3U engines, a wider 8.7 m fairing, and a payload capacity exceeding 70 metric tons to low‑Earth orbit, over 14 metric tons direct to GEO, and more than 20 metric tons to trans‑lunar injection. Both 7×2 and 9×4 versions will operate concurrently to offer customers tailored mission profiles.

What It Means

The propulsion and structural upgrades signal Blue Origin’s shift from validation to operational scaling, improving lift capability, cadence, and cost efficiency. Subcooled propellants and increased thrust per engine point to tighter margins and faster flights. The 9×4 variant expands New Glenn’s competitive envelope into super‑heavy launch markets for mega‑constellations, lunar logistics, deep‑space probes, and national security payloads. Running the 7×2 and 9×4 in tandem offers customers volume, flexibility, and mission matching.

The Backstory

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket first reached orbit in January 2025 and achieved a successful second mission in November, including a booster landing at sea. The company is advancing launch certification and reusability, leveraging BE‑4 and BE‑3U engines also used across its broader propulsion portfolio. These enhancements follow early FAA scrutiny and internal corrections targeting landing reliability and cadence acceleration.

What’s Next

Upgraded performance phases begin with mission NG‑3. Blue Origin will operate two New Glenn variants side by side: the improved 7×2 and the new super‑heavy 9×4. This dual approach aims to support a spectrum of missions from low‑Earth orbital delivery to lunar and deep‑space trajectories.