Blue Origin Resets New Glenn Launch to Late 2022
Blue Origin has shifted the timeline for its first orbital-class New Glenn rocket flight to the fourth quarter of 2022, marking a significant change from earlier plans to launch by the end of 2021. The adjustment follows a series of developments affecting the program’s funding and priorities.
In a public update, the company stated its team “has been in contact with all of our customers to ensure this baseline meets their launch needs.” The revised schedule comes after the U.S. Space Force concluded its support for New Glenn under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) procurement program. That support, potentially worth up to $500 million, ended at the close of the previous year.
The Space Force awarded the next round of national security launch contracts to United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX, leaving Blue Origin without a share in that segment. Jarrett Jones, senior vice president for New Glenn, told Space News that losing the contracts represented a $3 billion impact to anticipated revenue, compelling the company to “re-baseline” its development plans.
Despite the setback, Blue Origin emphasized that New Glenn will continue to fulfill existing commercial contracts, target the expanding commercial launch market, and pursue new civil space opportunities. “We hope to launch NSSL payloads in the future, and remain committed to serving the U.S. national defense mission,” the company noted.
Jeff Bezos has previously explained that he sells $1 billion in Amazon stock annually to fund Blue Origin, with the majority directed toward New Glenn. The company reports more than $2.5 billion invested in New Glenn infrastructure, including $1 billion dedicated to rebuilding Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Recent program milestones include completion of a first-stage mockup simulator, construction of a structural test facility, and hardware progress on tanks, stage modules, and composite payload fairings. Blue Origin highlighted that these efforts have created over 600 jobs in the Florida region.
Central to New Glenn’s design is the BE-4 engine, fueled by liquefied natural gas and intended for the rocket’s first-stage booster. The BE-4 is in the final stages of testing, with production increasing at Blue Origin’s Huntsville, Alabama engine plant. This engine will also power ULA’s Vulcan rocket, which remains on track for a debut launch in 2021.
New Glenn is one of several active projects at Blue Origin. The New Shepard suborbital vehicle continues uncrewed test flights from West Texas, with plans to carry passengers in the near term. In parallel, Blue Origin leads a team with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper to develop a lunar landing system for NASA’s Artemis program. This system aims to deliver astronauts to the Moon’s surface, competing against SpaceX and Dynetics for further NASA funding, with selection decisions expected by late April.
The company released video updates showcasing progress at its Florida facilities, underscoring the scale of the undertaking. From engine development to launch infrastructure, the New Glenn program reflects Blue Origin’s long-term commitment to heavy-lift orbital capability, even as market dynamics and government procurement decisions reshape its immediate trajectory.
