After the triumphant second flight of New Glenn, which included the historic first landing of its booster, Blue Origin is setting its sights on the next launch, targeted for early next year. The possibility of utilizing the same booster from the recent mission is also under consideration.
In an interview conducted just a day after the successful Nov. 13 NG-2 launch, Blue Origin Chief Executive Dave Limp expressed optimism, stating that initial data reviews indicate the vehicle performed precisely as anticipated. “On the surface, it looks like a very nominal mission,” he commented.
The NG-2 launch achieved its primary objective of deploying NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, consisting of two smallsats destined for Mars after a year-long stay near the Earth-sun L2 point. Additionally, a hosted payload from Viasat was included to assess the feasibility of relaying launch vehicle telemetry.
However, the highlight of the mission was undoubtedly the first stage landing on the company’s ship, Jacklyn, in the Atlantic Ocean, a little over nine minutes after launch. The stage descended near the ship and then shifted directly above it before touchdown. Company founder Jeff Bezos noted on social media that this maneuver was designed to protect the ship and "avoid a severe impact if engines fail to start or start slowly." The initial offset of around a hundred meters will be gradually reduced.
Although the booster was nicknamed "Never Tell Me The Odds," Limp admitted to feeling confident about a successful landing, stating, “We had very good data and understanding of what needed to be done after the first flight,” when the engines failed to relight for a reentry burn. Monte Carlo simulations “suggested we had a pretty good chance of landing. Not 100%, but it was much better than the first flight,” he added.
The company is now focusing on inspecting the booster to determine the extent of refurbishment required before its next flight. While reusing the same booster is an option, Limp mentioned the possibility of using a new one. “It’s kind of a toss up, because the third booster is pretty far along in manufacturing,” he explained.
While New Glenn boosters are ultimately intended for turnaround in just two to three weeks, the first refurbished booster will require more time. Blue Origin plans for the next New Glenn flight to carry its Blue Moon Mark 1 uncrewed lunar lander. That lander is completing development and will soon be shipped to the Johnson Space Center for thermal vacuum testing. “Assuming that stays on the schedule that we’re on right now, I think it’s likely our third mission” for New Glenn, he said.
If Blue Moon’s schedule experiences delays, another payload might be flown on the next New Glenn mission before the lander is moved to the fourth launch, Limp added. The target for the next New Glenn launch is "very early in the new year." The company has not yet finalized the number of New Glenn launches planned for 2026.
“We want to be very hardware rich next year,” he said, including being able to produce 20 second stages a year. “The question is, can we get to an operational cadence? And to me, that’s the next step that we’re going to have to sit down with the team.” There is, he noted, no shortage of demand for New Glenn in a launch-constrained market. “My phone has been fairly busy in the last 24 hours with customers coming out of the woodwork, which is a good problem to have.”
Among the customers is the U.S. Space Force, which is in the process of certifying the vehicle for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Following the NG-2 launch, the Space Force’s Space Systems Command issued a statement confirming the continuation of the certification process without providing specific details. Depending on the level of government oversight, certification could require between 2 and 14 launches.
Limp didn't specify which certification path Blue Origin is pursuing, but acknowledged that the two New Glenn launches completed thus far will not suffice. “We will definitely have to fly again to get certification. Plus, there are just a lot of other things. There is paperwork involved,” he stated. “But it’s all on track.”
Limp also addressed the company's efforts to expedite human return to the moon. NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said Oct. 20 he would “open up” SpaceX’s existing contract to land humans on the moon on Artemis 3 and directed both SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop “acceleration approaches” for their existing landing contracts. “They asked us, ‘Can you get to the moon faster?’” he said of NASA’s request. “My answer is, if the country wants it, yes.”
He stated that Blue Origin has submitted a concept aimed at achieving a faster return to the moon compared to the current Blue Moon Mark 2 lander, scheduled for its maiden flight on Artemis 5 under a Human Landing System (HLS) contract. He added the NASA contract for Blue Moon Mark 2 calls for it to be ready in 2028 and that “we are on track to have our architectural pieces done for 2028.”
“We believe that we have a simplified architecture that closes. We believe we can do it very quickly,” he said of the new approach. “The reason we can do it very quickly is that it uses the pieces and parts that we’re already working on, but with simpler conops and a simplified mission.” While details remain limited, he confirmed that a preliminary draft has been submitted to NASA, with the final version expected within a week.
Despite the focus on accelerated lunar missions, Limp emphasized the company's continued interest in developing more sustainable architectures for a long-term lunar presence. “We are strong believers that the NASA should not get rid of the HLS contracts, because we do want sustainability,” he stated. “But I also believe we want boots on the moon as quickly as possible. I think that’s important from a national prestige perspective, and there’ll be some science, and it’ll get our muscle back. It’s been a while since we’ve been to the moon.”