Blue Origin has revealed a super-heavy version of its New Glenn rocket, a significantly upgraded design that stands taller than NASA’s historic Saturn V and matches the scale of SpaceX’s Starship. The announcement comes just days after the company completed a fully successful second flight of the original New Glenn.
The new variant, now called New Glenn 9×4, will use nine BE-4 engines on its reusable booster and four on its upper stage. That’s an increase from the seven-engine booster and two-engine upper stage on the existing New Glenn 7×2, which Blue Origin says will continue to operate in parallel.
With the added engines, New Glenn 9×4 will be able to lift more than 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, slightly below Starship’s current theoretical 100-ton capacity. SpaceX is developing future versions that aim to double that figure.
The super-heavy design also includes a substantially larger payload fairing to accommodate bigger spacecraft, satellites, and mission hardware. Blue Origin says the enhanced capabilities position the rocket for “mega-constellations, lunar and deep space explorations, and national security imperatives such as Golden Dome.”
A rendering released Thursday shows New Glenn 9×4 during liftoff with an oversized depiction of the Moon above it — a clear nod to the company’s ambitions in NASA’s lunar program, where it competes directly with SpaceX.
Blue Origin also announced upgrades to the existing New Glenn 7×2, including increased total thrust and reusable fairings, along with other adjustments aimed at reducing turnaround time between missions.
The company has not announced a firm date for its next New Glenn launch, though early 2026 is currently targeted. CEO Dave Limp says Blue Origin could soon attempt to fly and land its uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander on the Moon as it continues expanding its deep-space capabilities.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.