NGNew Glenn / launch vehicle

key details

faq

facts

events

• major2026-09-01Blue Origin wins $700M NASA Mars Telecommunications Network contract
• notable2026-08-12Blue Origin outlines new Cape Canaveral pad for larger New Glenn
• notable2026-08-05Blue Origin traces New Glenn pad explosion to BE-4 engine valve
• noise2026-07-31Blue Origin's Air Force rocket-cargo study contract grows to $13 million
• notable2026-07-28FAA proposes waiving 13 environmental laws for launch and reentry licensing
• notable2026-07-24Blue Origin to test New Glenn upper stage at NASA's Stennis B-2 stand
• notable2026-07-17Space Force triples NSSL Lane 1 launch contract ceiling to $17 billion
• major2026-07-08Blue Origin raises $10 billion in first outside funding round
• notable2026-07-08Earthjustice petitions FCC to pause orbital data center licensing
• notable2026-07-06Blue Origin has seven Blue Moon landers in production, first slips to 2027
• notable2026-07-01Blue Origin outlines new pad plan for New Glenn return to flight
• notable2026-06-02Blue Origin, Boeing, Umbra revealed as Space Force SB-AMTI vendors

timeline

1. 20262026-05-28New Glenn explodes during static fire test, destroying rocket and pad infrastructure (source, as of 2026-07-12)
2. 2026-04-19incidentBlueBird Block 2 #2 launch failureoutcome: Launch Failurecause: AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 successfully launched on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, but was placed into an unusable lower orbit and will be deorbited despite the booster landing successfully. (source, as of 2026-07-08)
3. 2026-04-19incidentBlueBird 7 (Block 2 #2) launch failureoutcome: Launch Failurecause: AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 successfully launched on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, but was placed into an unusable lower orbit and will be deorbited despite the booster landing successfully. (source, as of 2026-07-30)
4. 20252025-11-13New Glenn lands booster for first time on second flight carrying NASA's ESCAPADE (source, as of 2026-07-12)
5. 2025-01-16New Glenn reaches orbit on maiden flight, booster lost on descent (source, as of 2026-07-12)
6. 20202020-12-16NASA awards Blue Origin NLS II launch services contract for New Glenn (source, as of 2026-07-12)

sources