Blue Origin has revealed upgrades under development for its New Glenn rocket, including a new first-stage engine named Northstar. The company says the engine will have fewer components, lower mass, and greater thrust than the BE-4 engine it is intended to replace.
Northstar has entered test firing, but it is not yet in regular launch service. Blue Origin’s long-term manufacturing goal is to build the engine at about one-quarter of the cost of a BE-4, partly through simplified construction and extensive 3D printing.
The company is also developing a hydrogen-powered third stage for missions needing additional performance beyond Earth orbit. These projects are intended to make future launches more economical while opening up new payload destinations.
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