Blue Origin has unveiled a superheavy version of the New Glenn rocket, significantly increasing its payload capacity for orbital and lunar missions. This new model, called the New Glenn 9×4, can carry more than 70 tons to low Earth orbit and compete with SpaceX’s Starship rocket. The new design also utilizes an enlarged payload bay with a diameter of 8.7 meters.

New Glenn 9×4 Unveiled

The New Glenn 9×4 features a significant increase in engine configuration compared to the current model; the rocket features nine BE-4 engines in its first stage and four BE-3U engines in its upper stage. This configuration distinguishes it from the previous seven-plus-two engine configuration and elevates New Glenn to the superheavy launch vehicle class, surpassing many commercial competitors in capacity.

The expansion of the booster and second stage significantly expands Blue Origin’s mission range. The 9×4 version is capable of carrying over 70 tons of payload to low Earth orbit, over 14 tons directly to geosynchronous orbit, and over 20 tons for translunar injection.

These capabilities open up a much broader range of applications for commercial, scientific, and defense missions. The large, 8.7-meter payload bay allows for the launch of larger satellites and multi-mission packages.

Blue Origin stated that it developed this advanced design to support mega-constellation projects, lunar and deep space missions, and national security needs such as the Golden Dome. By comparison, Starship is known to carry over 100 tons of payload to low Earth orbit.