Blue Origin Unveils New Glenn 94 Rocket Variant

Blue Origin has unveiled plans for a more powerful variant of its New Glenn rocket, dubbed New Glenn 94, following the successful second test flight of the original design earlier this month. The announcement, made on November 20, 2025, positions the company to expand its capabilities in heavy-lift launches from its coastal facility in Florida, targeting missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond.

The new configuration, named for its total of nine engines on the booster stage and four on the upper stage, builds on the current New Glenn's seven-booster and two-upper engine setup. Blue Origin stated that the upgrades will boost the booster's thrust from 3.9 million pounds-force to 4.5 million pounds-force and the upper stage's from 320,000 pounds-force to 400,000 pounds-force. These enhancements, combined with a larger 28.5-foot (8.7-meter) payload fairing and structural improvements like a reusable fairing and lower-cost tank design, will enable the rocket to carry more than 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit, over 14 metric tons to geosynchronous orbit, and more than 20 metric tons to translunar injection. The company emphasized that both the New Glenn 94 and the upgraded...