Blue Origin upgrades New Glenn rocket with cost-cutting and performance improvements

Blue Origin announced two major upgrades to its New Glenn rocket, reducing manufacturing costs and increasing its payload capacity for geostationary orbit and lunar missions. The company aims to eventually position New Glenn to launch more than 1,000 times a year.

The new engine, Northstar, is a simplified version of the BE-4, with half the parts, 30% less mass, and 65% 3D-printed components. Blue Origin claims it can produce the engine at 25% of the BE-4’s cost and assemble it in under a day.

Northstar will provide a starting thrust of 715,000 pounds, surpassing the BE-4’s 640,000 pounds. Both engines use methane and liquid oxygen with an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle and single-shaft turbopump architecture. The company will continue producing BE-4 engines for United Launch Alliance.

Blue Origin is also developing a third stage for New Glenn called GS3, designed for direct injection to geostationary orbit and Earth-escape trajectories. The stage can be used on both the 7×2 and 9×4 variants of the rocket, increasing payload capacity to 8 metric tons for geostationary orbit and 10 metric tons for translunar injection on the 7×2 variant.

GS3 uses composite materials for lightness but faces challenges with hydrogen leaks due to the material’s susceptibility to cracking under thermal and mechanical stress. A recent test at Launch Site One confirmed the feasibility of a composite liquid hydrogen tank, with successful pressurization at 100% and 150% of operational limits.

Blue Origin aims to debut GS3 with a government customer in 2028. The company has secured one customer for cislunar space missions and is open to additional contracts.