NASA has added Blue Origin's New Glenn 9×4 launch service to its NLS II (NASA Launch Services II) contract. This inclusion, made possible through a contract on-ramp clause, will allow NASA's Launch Services Program Office to utilize New Glenn for future missions. NLS II contracts are multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity agreements designed to provide the agency with flexible access to a wide range of commercial launch capabilities for its science and exploration missions.

The New Glenn is a heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by Blue Origin, designed to be partially reusable. Its payload capacity and the 9×4 configuration, likely referring to a specific booster or stage setup, make it suitable for missions requiring the transport of significant payloads to various orbits. The inclusion of this rocket in NASA's catalog underscores the agency's increasing reliance on commercial launch services for its space operations.

This decision reflects NASA's strategy to foster competition and innovation within the commercial space sector, while ensuring the availability of robust and diversified launch options for its future projects. The ability to choose from multiple providers and launch vehicles allows NASA to optimize the cost-effectiveness and reliability of its missions, from scientific satellites to interplanetary probes. This addition is expected to facilitate access to space for a variety of critical missions in the coming years.