BE-4 Engine Deliveries to ULA for Vulcan
| Date | Milestone | Cumulative engines delivered |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | BE-4 selected by ULA to power Vulcan Centaur | 0 (development) |
| 2023 | First flight shipset delivered to ULA (Decatur, AL) after acceptance testing | 2 |
| 8 Jan 2024 | Vulcan Centaur debut launch on two BE-4 engines; first operational BE-4 flight | 2 (flown) |
| 23 Oct 2025 | Blue Origin announces 30th BE-4 delivered to ULA | 30 |
Updated at 2026-06
Blue Origin Major NASA and Government Contracts
| Program | Award year | Disclosed value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA Commercial LEO Destinations (Orbital Reef) | 2021 (increased 2024) | $172M total (incl. +$42M in 2024) | In development; LEO station targeted around 2030 |
| NASA Sustaining Lunar Development (Blue Moon MK2, Artemis 5) | 2023 | $3.4B firm-fixed-price | In development; Blue Origin to add well north of award (program est. ~$7B); uncrewed demo before crewed Artemis 5 landing |
| NASA first Moon Base mission (Blue Moon MK1 'Endurance') | 2026 | Value not separately disclosed | Selected 26 May 2026; lander targeted to fly before end of 2026 on New Glenn |
Updated at 2026-06
New Glenn Development and Flight Milestone Timeline
| Date | Milestone | Outcome / significance |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2016 | New Glenn unveiled | Reusable orbital heavy-lift rocket announced; first flight then targeted for 2020 |
| 2020-2024 | Repeated schedule slips | First flight pushed from 2020 to 2024 then 2025; BE-4 engine qualification and GS-1 stage testing on the critical path |
| 16 Jan 2025 | NG-1 first orbital flight | Reached orbit on debut carrying Blue Ring Pathfinder; second stage succeeded but first-stage booster lost on the landing attempt |
| 13 Nov 2025 | NG-2 mission | Deployed NASA ESCAPADE twin Mars probes and landed the first stage on ship Jacklyn; second company ever to orbit a payload while recovering an orbital-class booster |
| 19 Apr 2026 | NG-3 mission | First reuse of a New Glenn first-stage booster (GS1-SN002), which landed on Jacklyn. Second stage suffered a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line; one BE-3U engine underperformed, stranding AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 in a too-low orbit. First stage recovered; second stage and payload lost. |
| 28 May 2026 | LC-36 static-fire explosion | A New Glenn exploded during a static-fire test, destroying the vehicle and damaging Launch Complex 36, Blue Origin's only operational New Glenn pad; flights halted pending investigation and repairs |
| By end of 2026 (guidance) | Return to flight (planned) | CEO Dave Limp stated New Glenn will fly again before the end of 2026; date not yet confirmed (management guidance) |
Updated at 2026-06
New Shepard Flights per Year (Crewed vs Uncrewed)
2015-2026
Updated at 2026-02
Blue Origin Vehicle and Program Portfolio
| Program / vehicle | Category | Status (mid-2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Shepard | Suborbital crew + research | Operational but paused | 38 flights through Jan 2026; paused for ~2 years (announced 30 Jan 2026) to fund Blue Moon |
| New Glenn | Orbital heavy-lift launch | Operational (return-to-flight pending) | Reusable; ~45 t to LEO; 3 orbital flights (NG-1 to NG-3); LC-36 pad damaged in 28 May 2026 static-fire explosion |
| Blue Moon MK1 | Robotic lunar lander | In test, flight targeted 2026 | ~21,350 kg, delivers ~3,000 kg to the surface; selected for NASA's first Moon Base mission; launches on New Glenn |
| Blue Moon MK2 | Crewed lunar lander | In development | 16m, three BE-7 engines, up to ~30,000 kg to the surface; NASA Sustaining Lunar Development (Artemis 5) lander |
| BE-4 engine | Reusable booster engine | In production | Methalox staged combustion; 7 per New Glenn first stage, 2 per ULA Vulcan booster; 30+ delivered to ULA |
| BE-3U / BE-7 engines | Upper-stage / lander engines | Flying (BE-3U) / in test (BE-7) | BE-3U powers the New Glenn second stage; BE-7 is the Blue Moon lander engine |
| Orbital Reef | Commercial space station | Funded study / development | Planned LEO station; NASA Commercial LEO Destinations award raised to $172M (incl. +$42M in 2024); targeted around 2030 |
Updated at 2026-06
Blue Origin in Space
Blue Origin
$BLUE-ORIGIN
Builds the reusable New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, the New Shepard suborbital vehicle, and Blue Moon lunar landers. Heavily funded by Jeff Bezos and privately held.