Launch History and Schedule
| Flight | Date | Days Elapsed | Version Booster |
|---|---|---|---|
| NG-1 | 16.01.25 | - | GS1-SN001 |
| NG-2 | 13.11.25 | 301 | GS1-SN002 |
| NG-3* | 31.01.26 | 78 | GS1-SN002-2 |
*Planned flight. Possibly with a flown booster from NG-2.
Both NG-1 and NG-2 exhibited similar gradual ascent profiles off the pad. Initial concerns about underperformance during NG-1 were not substantiated by telemetry; NG-2 showed nearly identical early-flight behavior.
Company Timelines
- Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos on September 8, 2000. The New Glenn maiden flight occurred after 24 years.
- SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk on March 14, 2002. Falcon 9 first launched in 2010, achieved first booster landing in 2015, and has flown over 400 times as of 2024.
Technical Comparison
Blue Origin’s New Glenn incorporates several advanced features on early flights:
- Methane-fueled engines (BE-4)
- Payload fairing volume exceeding Falcon Heavy
- Successful orbital insertion on first attempt
- Booster catch achieved on second flight
For context:
- SpaceX required 20 attempts to recover a Falcon 9 booster
- SpaceX required 32 flights to re-fly a previously flown booster
- Blue Origin may re-fly the NG-2 booster on NG-3
Booster Performance Metrics
Velocity at Engine Cutoff (MECO equivalent for boosters)
| Vehicle | Shutdown Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|
| Starship Booster | 4,700 |
| New Glenn | 7,500 |
| Falcon Heavy | 9,500 |
New Glenn and Falcon Heavy accelerate for ~30 seconds longer than Starship booster before separation.
Altitude at Booster Separation
| Vehicle | Altitude (km) |
|---|---|
| Starship Booster | 59 |
| New Glenn | 78 |
| Falcon Heavy | 77 |
Data derived from public flight telemetry.
Tim Dodd: Will New Glenn be the KING of Heavy Lift Rockets?
Tim Dodd had the opportunity to Talk to Jeff Bezos and tour the plant:
First Look Inside Blue Origin's New Glenn Factory w/ Jeff Bezos!
and the launch pad:
First Ever Tour Of Blue Origin's Massive New Glenn Launch Pad w/ Jeff Bezos!
Useful links to stay up to date on launches:
Spaceflightnow.com: Launch Schedule
Everyday Astronaut: Prelaunch Previews
NASA Spaceflight nasaspacefight.com