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Blue originalNew Glenn Mission 3 (NG-3) was supposed to represent another step forward for the company’s long-awaited entry into the commercial space launch market. Instead, the heavy rocket’s third flight ended in partial failure, and has now come to a complete halt. The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded the New Glenn spacecraft from future missions after a “mishap” during its launch Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida until an investigation into the incident is completed.
The mission was not a total loss. New Glenn’s reusable first stage booster performed as expected and landed successfully. However, the upper stage failed at the most mission-critical task: delivering its payload to the correct orbit.
that load ( Bluebird 7 The communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile (Blue Origin’s first commercial launch payload for a customer) was supposed to be deployed in an orbit approximately 285 miles long. Instead, it reached only about 95 miles, too low for the satellite’s boosters to keep it in orbit. BlueBird 7 will now be deorbited and destroyed during reentry.
Watch this: Blue Origin New Glenn NG-3 mission: It all happened in 8 minutes
The problem appears to be due to the rocket’s upper stage. in Monday statementBlue Origin CEO Dave Limp said that “one of the BE-3U’s engines did not produce enough thrust” during its second burn, a critical phase necessary for raising and orbiting. Without that, the rocket wouldn’t have the energy needed to get the satellite where it needs to go.
The consequences of this deficiency begin with the FAA classifying the event as a “mishap,” which may seem innocuous, but automatically results in a mandatory grounding of the New Glenn vehicle while a full safety review is conducted. Blue Origin will lead the investigation under FAA oversight, and will work to determine the root cause and determine corrective actions.
Until the agency determines that the problem poses no risk to public safety, New Glenn will not travel again. How long this process takes is uncertain and can vary greatly. The last time New Glenn was stopped, after The landing failed on its first missionand was unable to fly again for several months.
The longer the rocket is off the ground, the more friction will apply to Blue Origin’s 2026 and 2027 plans. In the short term, ripples may delay their propagation Amazon is already late Satellite broadband networkwhich will be based in part on New Glenn. Beyond that, the company Blue Moon MK1 Landing mission goal It may also be affected by how long New Glenn remains on the sidelines.
Then there is the reputational hit. This was New Glenn’s first mission to carry a commercial customer payload, which would have been a major milestone for the heavy rocket program. While AST SpaceMobile expects the cost of the satellite to be “recovered under the company’s insurance policy,” this is certainly an egg on Blue Origin’s face and an opportunity for competitors like SpaceX To exploit.
AST SpaceMobile said in a statement issued Sunday evening that it expects to continue its plans to expand its space network with “an orbital launch every one to two months on average through 2026,” supported by agreements with multiple launch providers.
Blue Origin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.