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\n\t\t\t\tImage: Steven Madow \/ Space Explored\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tImage: Steven Madow \/ Space Explored\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The new year is right around the corner, and with that come new goals, records, and the arrival of new players in the space realm. The most promising to shake things up, Blue Origin, is just now making its new-space prime entrance. What does 2026 have in store for its big rocket, the New Glenn<\/a>?<\/p>\n In an interview with Ars Technica<\/a> earlier this month, Dave Limp, Blue Origin\u2019s<\/a> CEO, shared how it\u2019s progressing with the New Glenn project after two successful launches. \u201cWhen I look at the factories, our engine factory in Huntsville, the rocket factory here at Rocket Park, and Lunar Plant 1, I feel like when you walk the floor, there\u2019s a lot of energy,\u201d Limp said.<\/p>\n In the interview, Limp revealed the company is finishing one full New Glenn rocket every month. For now, they\u2019re limited by the rate at which the company can produce New Glenn\u2019s second stage. \u201cBuilding prototypes is easy, but building a machine to make the machines in volume at that rate is much harder,\u201d Limp said.<\/p>\n For 2026, Limp believes the company can hit double digits in launches, matching its production rate at 12. It\u2019s possible to go as high as 24 if the success they\u2019ve had ramping up vehicle production continues.<\/p>\n \tAdvertisement – scroll for more content<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be ambitious to get to the upper level, but we want to be hardware rich. So, you know, we want to try to keep building as fast as we can, and then with practice I think our launch cadence can go up.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2025, Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket twice, once in January<\/a> and again just a few weeks ago with NASA\u2019s ESCAPADE mission to Mars<\/a>. On the rocket\u2019s second mission, Blue Origin was able to successfully return and land its booster on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n That low number is nothing to slump at. While yes, the rocket is several years late (what rocket isn\u2019t?), the success it has seen with technology that only one other company has perfected, propulsive landing, is an impressive feat.<\/p>\n Space Explored\u2019s Take<\/p>\n Blue Origin really does have a solid chance of becoming the number two new-space prime right behind SpaceX<\/a>. And if they pull through with a cheaper and faster way to get Artemis 3 to the lunar surface<\/a>, it could catapult them ahead of Elon Musk\u2019s company for specialized government contracts.<\/p>\n In rocket launches, SpaceX and ULA<\/a> own the National Security Space Launch contracts that are the key to success for any medium-heavy class rocket. While SpaceX\u2019s dominance has forced ULA to introduce Vulcan, a cheaper and more capable rocket for the Space Force and NASA<\/a>, it\u2019s missing what many are saying is a key part for true low-cost rockets: reusability.<\/p>\n ULA may just regret reportedly not sealing a purchase from Blue Origin<\/a> a couple years ago, as if Jeff Bezos\u2019s company takes the number one spot in the next NSSL contract, ULA\u2019s primary source of revenue would be slashed.<\/p>\n That is where I see Blue Origin really competing, with ULA in the NSSL deal versus SpaceX in commercial launch contracts. While many companies have already signed launch deals to ride on New Glenn, SpaceX\u2019s investment in Starship still scares me into thinking everyone is still just catching up to SpaceX, while SpaceX plans to put what others are catching up to out of business<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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