New Glenn 3: following the success, its next flight revealed: Blue Origin could change everything!

The New Glenn 2 test flight was a complete success: Blue Origin launched NASA’s two probes to Mars, then recovered the first stage of its heavy launcher. All eyes are therefore on the next steps: competing with SpaceX on the return to the Moon program, and obtaining certification for the New Glenn.

The New Glenn takes off slowly, but lands on its barge carefully

Many astute observers have noted how slow Blue Origin’s heavy launcher is to take off. The explanation is quite simple: the New Glenn has a very low thrust-to-weight ratio: it therefore takes more time before developing the necessary power. Space Techniques explains it very well on

Jeff Bezos also confirmed that the return to 30 meters from the barge was planned in this way, in order to avoid destruction of the latter in the event that the landing did not go as hoped. These security measures will be reduced as tests are successfully completed.

Dave Limp, President and CEO of Blue Origin, was therefore able to declare, while flight data analyzes have barely begun: “On the surface, this seems like a very nominal mission”.

Next step: the Moon with the sending of the Blue Moon Mark 1 in early 2026

The next flight will be a double test for the Amazon boss’ private space company: it will be necessary to confirm and reproduce the excellent results of the New Glenn 2 and show NASA, and the world, that its lunar lander, the Blue Moon, is capable of landing successfully on the Moon.

Indeed, the Blue Moon Mark 1 is entering the final phase of development and will soon be shipped to the John Kennedy Space Center. Dave Limp hopes for a launch “very early in 2026”.

For this third test, which is of major strategic importance in the context of the Artemis missions to which we will return later, the question was whether Blue Moon Mark 1 would be launched with the first stage (also called “booster”) of the NG2 reused, or with a third version. Dave Limp seems to imply that it is rather the second option that is being considered: “the third booster is quite far in manufacturing”.

NASA, worried about seeing its Artemis program being outpaced by Chinese progress, therefore asked Blue Origin if they thought they could come up with a plan faster than the current schedule in progress with SpaceX, to send Americans back to the Moon: “If the country wants it, we can”, but Limp added: “We are strong believers that NASA should not get rid of HLS contracts, because we want sustainability”.

Nevertheless, if excitement must reign these days within Jeff Bezos’ private space company, it is undoubtedly at SpaceX that the feeling of urgency must be felt the most.

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