September 30, 2026 — NASA has added Blue Origin’s New Glenn 9×4 launch service to its NASA Launch Services II contract. The decision makes that vehicle available for the agency’s Launch Services Program to consider for future missions. It does not announce a specific mission assignment or a launch date.
What the contract addition means
NASA’s Launch Services II arrangement includes multiple providers and uses an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity structure. Its ordering period runs through June 2030, while the overall performance period extends through December 2032. NASA says an annual on-ramp lets new providers compete and existing contractors introduce vehicles that were not previously covered by their contracts.
Adding New Glenn 9×4 gives NASA another eligible launch-service option when it orders future work. A mission still requires its own selection, technical fit and scheduling. This contract action should not be read as a booked flight or a guarantee of work for Blue Origin.
Which missions could use the program?
NASA says Launch Services II supports human spaceflight, science, research and technology goals. The agency can also provide launch services to other government agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NASA’s Launch Services Program Office at Kennedy Space Center manages the contracts.
The distinction matters for interpreting launch announcements: eligibility under an umbrella contract broadens procurement choices, while an actual mission award identifies a payload and launch provider. NASA’s September 29 announcement addresses the former.
Source: NASA contract release, September 29, 2026. AskNovus original explanation of the contract action.
Illustrative launch-site image: Aditya Vyas / Unsplash; it does not depict New Glenn.