Blue Origin on track for NSSL certification after second successful New Glenn launch

WASHINGTON — Blue Origin’s successful second launch Thursday of its New Glenn heavy lifter — including its first landing of the reusable booster at sea — clears the penultimate hurdle for company to begin launching critical national security payloads.

While the Space Force in April gave Blue Origin an initial award allowing it to compete for National Security Space Launch Program (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 launch contracts between fiscal years 2025 and 2029, New Glenn at the time had yet to complete its second launch required for NSSL flight certification.

NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches carry high-value, must-go payloads and/or those headed to orbits that are more difficult to achieve. Space Systems Command (SSC) usually contracts for NSSL launches two years in advance, so the contract awards would cover missions actually lofted between FY27 and FY32.

The two-stage launcher made its first certification flight Jan. 16, and the company originally had planned to make its second one this spring.

With New Glenn’s successful flight yesterday, carrying two spacecraft built by Rocket Lab for NASA’s ESCAPADE Mars mission, the Space Force now is going into the final stages of its review.

“Space Systems Command (SSC) continues its process of certifying New Glenn for National Security Space Launches after the successful NG-2 launch,” the Space Force said in a press release Thursday.

“Certification Flights are a small subset of the certification process and provide valuable analytical data to ensure each LSP’s [launch systems providers] launch system is ready to deliver our most exquisite USSF satellites supporting critical U.S. warfighters and Intelligence Community needs,” the release added.

Landing New Glenn’s reusable first stage booster on Blue Origin’s recovery ship in the Atlantic, named Jacklyn after owner Jeff Bezos’s mother, was a major win for the company — making it only the second to so. SpaceX, owned by Bezos’ rival Elon Musk, pioneered reusable first stages and now recaptures them routinely following launches of its Falcon 9 rocket.

Blue Origin also was quick to point out during its broadcast of the launch, and in its press release, that it stuck the booster landing after only one earlier attempt during its January launch.

“[N]ever before in history has a booster this large nailed the landing on the second try. This is just the beginning as we rapidly scale our flight cadence and continue delivering for our customers,” Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a press release.

Under the current NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 award, the Space Force expects to commission Blue Origin for about seven missions starting in FY26. Meanwhile, SpaceX is expected to fly 28 missions and United Launch Alliance 19.