Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Misplaces Satellite in Failed Launch
Severity: Low (Score: 33.8)
Sources: Theregister, Techcrunch
Summary
On April 19, 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully reused a first stage but failed to place the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite into the correct orbit. The satellite was deployed into an orbit that was lower than planned, rendering it unable to sustain operations, and it will be de-orbited. AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the loss is covered by insurance, and they have additional satellites ready for launch. This incident marks a significant failure for Blue Origin's New Glenn program, which aims to be a key player in NASA's Artemis missions. The rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the first stage landed successfully on a drone ship. Blue Origin has not yet provided details on the cause of the failure or its implications for future missions. The company has several upcoming launches planned, including missions for Amazon Leo and a lunar lander demonstration. Key Points: • Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed to deliver a satellite to the correct orbit. • The BlueBird 7 satellite will be de-orbited due to being in an unusable orbit. • The incident raises concerns about Blue Origin's reliability for future NASA missions.