As Starship V3 Lags Behind, Blue Origin Prepares Third Launch of New Glenn

GIZMODO - Blue Origin is getting ready for the third flight of New Glenn, taking another step toward ramping up its heavy-lift launch cadence.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory, Blue Origin plans to launch New Glenn no earlier than 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday. The company said Tuesday that it had completed a successful launch rehearsal and planned to conduct a static fire test on Wednesday. The NG-3 mission will be an important one: This time, the Jeff Bezos-owned company aims to demonstrate rapid reusability by flying with the same booster used for New Glenn’s second flight in November 2025.

The news of this pivotal launch comes as SpaceX is struggling to get Starship Version 3 (V3) off the ground. CEO Elon Musk has been saying the inaugural launch of this next-generation rocket is four weeks away since early March. Just last week, a V3 engine burst into flames during testing at the company’s McGregor facility in Starbase, Texas.

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Note:  Blue Origin is headquartered in Kent.

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