Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Fails to Deliver Satellite to Correct Orbit

• •Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed to deliver the BlueBird 7 satellite to the correct orbit.
• •The satellite will be de-orbited due to its low altitude, but the loss is insured.
• •This incident could impact Blue Origin's future contracts and NASA mission participation.

On April 19, 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully launched but failed to place AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite into the intended orbit. The satellite was delivered to a lower-than-planned orbit, rendering it unable to sustain operations. AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the satellite would be de-orbited and that the loss would be covered by insurance. This incident marks a significant setback for Blue Origin, which is aiming to become a key player in NASA's Artemis missions. The company has not yet explained the cause of the failure, which is under investigation by the FAA. Blue Origin successfully reused the rocket's first stage, landing it on a drone ship, but the upper stage malfunctioned during its second burn. AST SpaceMobile plans to continue its satellite deployment schedule, with more launches expected soon.