Blue Origin Rocket Fails to Orbit AST SpaceMobile Satellite forces deorbit
On April 2026, Jeff Bezos’s space venture, Blue Origin launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 communications satellite, aboard its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida(the United States of America, USA), but the mission failed to achieve the intended orbit during its third flight.
Mission Objective: Space-based cellular connectivity.
Mission Details:
Objective: The mission aimed to expand space-based cellular connectivity, with investigations underway to identify the cause and enhance reliability for future launches.
Engine Failure: The issue occurred during the second-stage burn (GS2), when one of the two BE-3U( (Blue Engine 3 – Upper Stage) hydrogen-fueled engines did not generate sufficient thrust. This resulted in the satellite being placed in an off-nominal orbit, making it unsuitable for its intended mission.
Rocket: New Glenn made its debut in January 2025, becoming the first commercial rocket to reach orbit on its maiden flight, followed by a second mission in November 2025 carrying satellites toward Mars.