Blue Origin has pushed the next New Glenn launch to January 2027, according to an internal memo from CEO Dave Limp that the Financial Times first reported (Engadget). A New Glenn rocket exploded on its launchpad in Florida during a hot-test in May 2026, causing notable damage to the company’s infrastructure (Engadget). Shortly afterward, the CEO claimed the repairs would be finished quickly and that the next launch would occur before the end of the year (Engadget).
Promised vs. Status Now
| Item | Promised | Status now | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next New Glenn launch | Before the end of the year | Not expected until January 2027 | Engadget |
| Return-to-flight mission | December | January | Ars Technica |
| Vehicle Access Tower | Repairs finished quickly | Repaired and restacked | Engadget |
| Launch bridge | Repairs finished quickly | Restored | Engadget |
Timeline
- 2026-11-05: Engadget reported that the Limp memo puts the next New Glenn launch in January 2027 (Engadget).
- 2026-11-06: Ars Technica described the move of the return-to-flight mission from December to January as a minor and widely expected delay (Ars Technica).
Details (as Reported)
The memo states that the launchpad’s Vehicle Access Tower has been repaired and restacked and that the launch bridge has been restored (Engadget). Limp credited weather issues for the fixes happening more slowly than hoped (Engadget). He also wrote: “Your collective work on our return to flight has been nothing short of remarkable,” and “In just six months, Team Blue has accomplished what many thought would take years” (Engadget).
Ars Technica reported that Blue Origin packed a lot of news into one Thursday afternoon, with the reveal of a new kick stage for New Glenn and a new rocket engine design alongside the delay (Ars Technica). Reconstruction of the wrecked launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, continues after a catastrophic explosion nearly six months ago (Ars Technica). The outlet reported pent-up demand from NASA, Amazon and the Space Force for New Glenn to return to action (Ars Technica).
Blue Origin won a NASA contract in September to set up a telecommunications network for Mars (Engadget). New Glenn rockets are also slated to carry more equipment into space for Amazon’s Leo satellite broadband service (Engadget). Analytics firm Quilty Space listed developmental delays in new rockets, including New Glenn, among the factors behind a shortage of launches outside China (Ars Technica).
What Is Not Yet Confirmed
- The next New Glenn launch is expected in January 2027, according to the Limp memo (Engadget).