spacetoday.net: Blue Origin announces new upper stage and engine for New Glenn

Posted: Sat, Nov 7, 2026, 12:07 PM ET (1707 GMT)
Blue Origin plans to develop a third stage for its New Glenn rocket along with a new booster engine. The company announced Thursday it is building GS3, a third stage powered by the company's BE-7 engine, that will support high-energy missions such as direct injection of satellites into GEO or flights to the moon. GS3 will make its debut in 2028 on a cislunar mission for an undisclosed government customer. It also announced Northstar, an engine that produces 12% more thrust than its BE-4 but is 30% lighter and has 50% fewer parts. Blue Origin did not discuss how it would use Northstar on New Glenn or other vehicles. However, Blue Origin disclosed in an internal memo Thursday that the return to flight for New Glenn has been delayed to January. The company had hoped to resume launches by the end of the year but said unfavorable weather this summer has slowed the rebuild of the launch pad damaged in a pad explosion in May.