Blue Origin makes impressive strides with reuse—next launch will refly booster

Blue Origin has announced that its next New Glenn rocket launch will take place in the upcoming months, carrying a significant communications satellite into low-Earth orbit for AST SpaceMobile. This mission is scheduled for no earlier than late February, departing from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. However, the most intriguing aspect lies in the details shared by Blue Origin regarding the rocket's booster. The company revealed that the mission will follow the successful NG-2 flight, which featured the landing of the ‘Never Tell Me The Odds’ booster. Remarkably, this same booster is currently undergoing refurbishment to be utilized for the upcoming NG-3 mission. The second New Glenn mission took place just ten weeks ago on November 13, and if Blue Origin meets its late-February target, it will mark an impressive turnaround for an orbital booster. In contrast, SpaceX took a different approach after landing its first Falcon 9 booster in December 2015, opting not to attempt a refly due to damage discovered during inspection. This emphasizes the significant strides Blue Origin is making in rocket reusability.