Blue Origin Unveils New Glenn Third Stage and Northstar Engine

Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced a third stage for the New Glenn rocket and a more powerful booster engine called Northstar during a stage appearance on Nov. 5. The additions are aimed at making the New Glenn rocket cheaper and more capable, extending its reach beyond geostationary orbit.

The dual announcements came during Limp's appearance at the UP.Summit at Kennedy Space Center. They arrive as New Glenn's next flight slips into next year.

The new third stage is designated GS3 and is intended to provide space access beyond geostationary orbit. The Northstar engine is a second, more powerful booster engine. Together, the updates are directed at higher-energy missions and lower launch costs.

Limp made the announcements on stage at the UP.Summit on Nov. 5. The developments were reported by Aviation Week and KeepTrack.

The additions signal that Blue Origin is iterating toward higher-energy missions and cheaper launch even as the company works to establish a regular flight cadence. They frame how Blue Origin intends to compete on both capability and cost.

The open question remains New Glenn's flight rate. The next flight has slipped into next year, and new stages and engines mean little until the rocket is flying regularly.