Blue Origin announced two new systems for its New Glenn rockets during an event at Kennedy Space Center called Up.Summit. CEO Dave Limp revealed the company has developed Glenn Stage 3 (GS3), a third stage designed for missions requiring direct injection to geostationary orbit and Earth-escape trajectories. Blue Origin has a government mission lined up for 2028 that will launch a payload to cis-lunar space.
The GS3 can deliver up to 14 metric tons to geostationary orbit and 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection on the 9x4 vehicle, and up to 8 metric tons to GEO and 10 metric tons to TLI on the 7x2 vehicle. The stage uses the BE-7 engine, which powers Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar landers. Testing at Launch Site One in Texas has pressurized a liquid hydrogen tank for 2.5 hours at 100 percent of Maximum Expected Operating Pressure, and to 150 percent of MEOP for 10 minutes. Blue Origin said the GS3 tank will be the first composite liquid hydrogen tank ever flown in space.
Blue Origin also revealed Northstar, a new first-stage engine fueled by liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen. Northstar produces 715,000 pounds of thrust, compared to 640,000 pounds on the BE-4. The company said Northstar engines can be assembled in less than a day. A person familiar with development said Northstar will be compatible with the New Glenn 9x4 rocket. The BE-4 will continue to play a role for the company, including on its return to flight mission following a late-May pad explosion.