Blue Origin launched the company’s third New Glenn rocket on Sunday, successfully recovering a previously used first stage. However, officials stated that the rocket’s second stage put the payload, a direct-to-cellphone communications satellite, into an unusable orbit.
AST SpaceMobile of Midland, Texas, the builder of the BlueBird 7 satellite, mentioned in a statement that the satellite’s on-board propulsion system could not compensate for the lower-than-planned altitude.
“During the New Glenn 3 mission, BlueBird 7 was placed into a lower-than-planned orbit by the upper stage of the launch vehicle,” the company said. “While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude is too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and will de-orbit.”
The BlueBird 7 satellite, equipped with a 2,400-square-foot phased array antenna, is the second in a new generation of AST SpaceMobile data relay stations designed to provide space-based 4G and 5G cellular broadband service directly to cell phone users worldwide.
Despite the setback, AST SpaceMobile expects to launch one to two satellites into orbit every one to two months in 2026, with a target of around 45 satellites by the end of the year.
Blue Origin, owned by Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos, plans to compete with SpaceX in delivering commercial, military, and science satellites to Earth orbit and deep space, as well as deploying a fleet of Amazon-owned space-based LEO internet satellites.
The New Glenn rocket is crucial for all these ventures and is planned for further missions, including moon landers to deliver NASA cargo and astronauts to the lunar surface.
The company tentatively aims to launch a prototype Blue Moon lander on an unpiloted test flight late this summer or early fall, followed by launches of Amazon LEO internet satellites by the end of the year.
The plans, however, depend on the results of the investigation into the incident that occurred on Sunday.
