In a bold escalation of the commercial space race, Blue Origin has unveiled plans to supersize its New Glenn rocket, introducing a super-heavy variant that surpasses the height of NASA’s Saturn V and edges closer to rivaling SpaceX’s Starship in payload capacity. The announcement, made just a week after New Glenn’s second successful launch, signals Jeff Bezos’s company is accelerating its push into heavy-lift territory amid growing demand for lunar and deep-space missions.

Blue Origin detailed the upgrades in a series of posts and statements, emphasizing phased improvements starting with the NG-3 mission in early 2026. These include a 15% boost in first-stage thrust and up to 25% more power from the upper stage, achieved through engine enhancements on the BE-4 methane-fueled beasts that power the rocket’s seven-engine first stage.

From Proven Launches to Ambitious Scaling

The timing couldn’t be more strategic. On November 13, 2025, New Glenn lofted NASA’s ESCAPADE twin probes toward Mars, marking its second orbital success following a January debut. The reusable first stage touched down on the Jacklyn droneship in the Atlantic, demonstrating reliability that underwrites the expansion plans, as reported by GeekWire.

This track record enables rapid iteration. “The iterative design from our current 7×2 vehicle means we can build this rocket quickly,” Blue Origin stated, referring to the baseline configuration of seven first-stage engines and two upper-stage BE-3U engines, per Ars Technica.

Technical Leap to Nine-Engine Beast

The crown jewel is the forthcoming “New Glenn 9×4” super-heavy variant, featuring nine first-stage BE-4 engines and four upper-stage units, towering taller than the 363-foot Saturn V. This configuration targets massive payloads to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond, directly challenging Starship’s super-heavy lift class, according to TechCrunch.

Payload gains are substantial: the upgraded baseline New Glenn will see enhanced performance for geostationary transfer orbits and cislunar trajectories, with the super-heavy model enabling “heavy cargo delivery from the Moon, to Mars, and point-to-point missions on Earth,” Blue Origin posted on X. Early 2026 upgrades on NG-3 will incorporate higher-thrust BE-4s, drawing from flight data to boost reliability and cadence.

Engine Hotfires and Integration Milestones

Behind the scenes, Blue Origin’s Huntsville team has racked up hotfire tests, including a recent dual BE-3U firing at Test Stand 4670—each engine at 160,000 pounds of thrust for the upper stage. A December 2024 full-vehicle hotfire at Launch Complex 36 lasted 24 seconds with seven BE-4s, validating integrated systems, as shared in Blue Origin’s X updates.

These tests underscore a manufacturing ramp-up at Florida’s Cape Canaveral, where production bays churn out boosters and cores. The super-heavy push aligns with Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander for NASA’s Artemis, positioning New Glenn as the workhorse for sustained lunar presence.

Rivalry Heats Up in Heavy-Lift Arena

SpaceX’s Starship looms large, but Blue Origin’s moves counter with reusability baked in from day one—first stages landing on sea platforms like Jacklyn, unlike Starship’s orbital refueling complexities. “Blue Origin plans to build an even more powerful version of its partially reusable New Glenn rocket,” noted Space.com, highlighting post-launch momentum.

Industry analysts see this as Bezos closing the gap. NextBigFuture detailed thrust hikes—15% first stage, 25% upper—enabling quicker market entry versus Starship’s developmental hurdles, while GeekWire reported the supersizing directly targets heavier payloads to Earth orbit and beyond.

Payload Revolution and Mission Enablers

Beyond raw lift, innovations like a full-scale deployable aerobrake—lighter and larger than legacy systems—promise mass savings for Mars cargo and Earth return. Blue Origin touted this on X, tying it to New Glenn’s evolution for interplanetary haulage.

Commercial implications are vast: satellite mega-constellations, national security payloads, and propellant depots. Upgrades enhance launch cadence, crucial for Blue Origin’s fixed-price NASA contracts and emerging private ventures, per Engadget.

Path Forward Amid Technical Hurdles

Not all smooth: An early 2025 scrub due to a glitch delayed debut, as GeekWire covered, but two flawless flights validate maturity. Via Satellite noted Blue Origin targeting super-heavy status, with NG-3 as the inflection point.

Blue Origin’s X post crystallized intent: “Starting with NG-3, we will phase in a series of upgrades to the New Glenn launch system designed to increase payload performance, launch cadence, and enhance reliability.” This roadmap positions the company for 2026 dominance in reusable heavy lift.