<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=17kawq_1GreIxwI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=17kawq_1GreIxwI00" width="900" height="504" ><figcaption>Blue Origin has unveiled two major advancements for its New Glenn rocket program, introducing a new upper-stage system and a more powerful first-stage engine as the company continues preparations to return the massive rocket to flight. (Blue Origin image)</figcaption></figure>New technologies designed to expand New Glenn’s deep-space capabilities as company prepares for return to flight following launch pad explosionBREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Blue Origin has unveiled two major advancements for its New Glenn rocket program, introducing a new upper-stage system and a more powerful first-stage engine as the company continues preparations to return the massive rocket to flight.Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced the developments during an invitation-only Up.Summit event at Kennedy Space Center, outlining the company’s plans to expand New Glenn’s capabilities for national security, commercial and deep-space missions.The announcements come as the company prepares for New Glenn’s return to flight after an explosion at its launch pad in late May.One of the most significant developments is a new third-stage system known as Glenn Stage 3, or GS3.The additional stage is being designed to give New Glenn greater flexibility for demanding missions, including direct delivery of payloads into geostationary orbit and trajectories that extend beyond Earth.Blue Origin confirmed that a government mission scheduled for 2028 is already planned to use the new system to transport a payload into cislunar space, the region between Earth and the Moon.<h2>The company has not released additional details about the mission.</h2>According to Blue Origin, GS3 is being developed around proven New Glenn hardware, allowing the rocket to gain additional performance capabilities without requiring customers to change their payload integration arrangements.The company estimates that GS3-equipped New Glenn rockets in the 9×4 configuration will deliver up to 14 metric tons to geostationary orbit and 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection.For the 7×2 configuration, the projected capabilities are up to 8 metric tons to geostationary orbit and 10 metric tons to trans-lunar injection.The new stage will use the same fixed payload adapters and protective fairing as the existing two-stage rocket. Integrated inside an interstage structure, the design is intended to preserve the full payload space available to customers.GS3 will be powered by Blue Origin’s BE-7 engine, the same engine family developed for the company’s Blue Moon lunar landers.Although the new upper stage is not necessary for Blue Origin’s existing plans to support astronaut missions to the lunar surface, the company believes it could provide additional capabilities for longer-term lunar exploration and sustained operations around the Moon.By delivering heavier payloads directly into trans-lunar injection, GS3 could also reduce travel times to the Moon while leaving additional propellant available for operations once spacecraft reach their destinations.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1QdwhT_1GreIxwI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1QdwhT_1GreIxwI00" width="678" height="381" ><figcaption>Development and testing of the new upper stage are already progressing at Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas. (Blue Origin image)</figcaption></figure><h2>TESTING UNDERWAY IN TEXAS</h2>Development and testing of the new upper stage are already progressing at Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas.The company recently completed a major pressure test involving a liquid hydrogen tank designed for GS3. During testing, the tank maintained pressure for 2.5 hours at 100% of its Maximum Expected Operating Pressure.Engineers also successfully increased the pressure to 150% of that operating threshold and maintained it for 10 minutes.Blue Origin says the tank is expected to become the first composite liquid hydrogen tank ever flown in space, potentially representing an important advancement in rocket tank technology.<h2>BLUE ORIGIN INTRODUCES NEW NORTHSTAR ENGINE</h2>In addition to the third-stage announcement, Blue Origin revealed Northstar, a new first-stage rocket engine expected to join the company’s propulsion lineup.Northstar shares several fundamental design characteristics with the BE-4 engine currently powering New Glenn. Both engines use liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen as propellants.However, Northstar is designed to deliver approximately 715,000 pounds of thrust, exceeding the BE-4’s reported 640,000 pounds.Blue Origin said Northstar moved from initial program approval into development testing in just 11 months, highlighting the company’s efforts to accelerate propulsion development and manufacturing.The engine retains the company’s established oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle and single-shaft turbopump architecture, while incorporating manufacturing improvements intended to streamline production.According to Blue Origin, those advancements have reduced assembly time to less than one day per engine.The company described Northstar as an addition to its existing BE-4 propulsion capabilities but did not announce a specific schedule for introducing the new engine into operational service.A person familiar with the program indicated that Northstar is compatible with the larger New Glenn 9×4 configuration.The BE-4 will continue serving an important role in Blue Origin’s launch operations, including the company’s upcoming return-to-flight mission.<h2>EXPANDING NEW GLENN’S FUTURE CAPABILITIES</h2>The latest announcements reflect Blue Origin’s broader effort to strengthen New Glenn as a major launch vehicle for missions ranging from commercial satellite deployment to national security payloads and future lunar exploration.With the addition of GS3, the rocket could eventually support more demanding missions requiring greater payload performance and the ability to travel beyond Earth’s immediate orbital environment.Northstar, meanwhile, represents another step toward expanding the company’s engine production capabilities and improving the performance of its next-generation launch systems.For Florida’s Space Coast, where Blue Origin operates a major manufacturing and launch presence, the developments underscore the company’s long-term commitment to advancing its rocket program and expanding its role in the increasingly competitive commercial space industry.As preparations continue for New Glenn’s return to flight, the new technologies offer a look at how Blue Origin intends to evolve the rocket into a more versatile launch platform that can support increasingly ambitious missions.</div></body>

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Blue Origin has unveiled two major advancements for its New Glenn rocket program, introducing a new upper-stage system and a more powerful first-stage engine as the company continues preparations to return the massive rocket to flight. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced the developments during...

Blue Origin Unveils Powerful New Rocket Engine and Third Stage for New Glenn Program

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Blue Origin has unveiled two major advancements for its New Glenn rocket program, introducing a new upper-stage system and a more

Blue Origin Unveils Powerful New Rocket Engine and Third Stage for New Glenn Program

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