Blue Origin is returning to launch the costly New Glenn rocket after completing an investigation of the incident

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What happened
During the third launch of the partially reusable New Glenn launch vehicle by *Blue Origin*, an abnormal situation arose that caused the BlueBird 7 internet‑communication satellite from *AST SpaceMobile* to be lost.

- The launch took place on 19 April 2026 from Port Canaveral.
- The first stage (GS1) performed successfully and returned to the sea platform – a significant success for Blue Origin’s reusable architecture.
- The upper stage (GS2) failed to deliver the payload to the planned orbit.

The FAA classified the incident as an event requiring investigation before New Glenn flights can resume.

Cause of failure
According to Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp:

- During the second engine ignition of the upper stage, one of the two liquid‑oxygen/hydrogen BE‑3U engines did not develop sufficient thrust.
- The final impulse was lower than needed to reach the target orbit.

The BlueBird 7 satellite separated successfully from the rocket but ended up in too low an orbit. Its own engines could not compensate for the altitude shortfall, and AST SpaceMobile declared the satellite lost, stating that the cost would be covered through insurance.

Consequences for New Glenn
New Glenn is a large rocket designed to compete with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy (SpaceX) and intended for commercial, military, and lunar missions. The failure of the upper stage is critical because it is responsible for the final boost to orbit and precise payload deployment.

As a result, the FAA imposed a ban on further launches until the investigation is completed.

Investigation results
Blue Origin finished its analysis of the incident. In the final FAA report:

- The key cause of the accident was a cryogenic leak that froze the hydraulic line and caused a thrust anomaly during second‑stage engine operation.
- Nine corrective action items were agreed upon to eliminate the fault.

After the FAA approved the report, it allowed Blue Origin to prepare for new launches.

What’s next

- The date of the next launch is still undecided.
- The rocket has already been positioned on the static fire test stand.
- In the new mission, *AST SpaceMobile* will again be the client – three BlueBird 7 satellites are planned to be launched simultaneously into space.

Thus, after addressing the failure cause and obtaining regulatory approval, Blue Origin is preparing for another launch that should confirm the reliability of the new rocket.