Blue Origin’s New Glenn Misplaces Customer Satellite During Third Launch

Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, successfully re-used a New Glenn rocket for the first time on Sunday, though the mission failed to put a communications satellite into the correct orbit for AST SpaceMobile. Despite separating and powering on, the satellite ended up in an orbit too low for sustained operations and will have to be de-orbited. AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the loss is insured and plans to launch additional satellites soon. This marks a significant setback for Blue Origin’s New Glenn program, which made its initial flight in January 2025. The failure might affect Blue Origin’s goal of becoming a key launch provider for NASA’s Artemis missions. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp affirmed the company’s commitment to aiding NASA’s return to the moon. Blue Origin recently tested a lunar lander and had previously considered launching it on New Glenn. The third launch of New Glenn began well, with a successful launch and booster landing, highlighted by Bezos’s social media posts. However, the upper stage did not place the satellite in the intended orbit. Blue Origin has not provided further details but remains committed to its commercial launches. SpaceX, another major player in the space industry, experienced similar setbacks during its Falcon 9 program.