Blue Origin Announces Upgraded New Glenn Variant

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, announced plans Thursday for a more powerful variant of its New Glenn rocket, just one week after the vehicle's second successful launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The upgrade aims to expand the rocket's capabilities for heavy-lift missions, positioning it as a competitor to SpaceX's Starship in the growing commercial space sector.

The second New Glenn flight occurred on November 13, 2025, marking the company's first mission for NASA. The 321-foot rocket carried the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, designed to study Mars' magnetic environment and atmosphere. The probes, named Blue and Gold, will first travel to a Lagrange point, where gravitational forces from Earth, the Moon, and the Sun balance, before proceeding to Mars orbit in 2027. The launch achieved a key milestone when the first-stage booster separated and landed upright on a barge at sea, enabling potential reuse and cost savings. Blue Origin described the mission as a complete success, with owner Jeff Bezos expressing enthusiasm over the booster's return.

Building on this achievement, the company unveiled a roadmap for enhancements to New Glenn, including the new...