FAA Grounds Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket After Launch Anomaly
The FAA has grounded Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket following a launch anomaly that resulted in the payload being placed into an incorrect orbit.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket after a launch anomaly on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36. The rocket's upper stage failed to place its payload, the BlueBird 7 satellite for AST SpaceMobile, into the correct orbit.
"The FAA is aware that Blue Origin New Glenn 3 experienced a mishap during the second-stage flight sequence following a successful launch," the FAA stated on Sunday evening. "The FAA notified NASA, the NTSB, and the U.S. Space Force about the classification of the incident."
Blue Origin must complete an investigation into the incident before the rocket is permitted to fly again. The FAA emphasized that such investigations aim to enhance public safety, determine the root cause, and identify corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
The mission marked the third flight of the New Glenn rocket and the first reuse of a booster, which successfully landed intact and is expected to be used again. However, the upper stage's failure to perform a second engine burn resulted in the satellite being deployed at too low an altitude to become operational. AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the satellite lacks sufficient onboard thruster supply to reach its required orbital position and will need to be deorbited. The cost of the lost hardware is expected to be covered by insurance.
The FAA has previously grounded rockets following mishaps, including SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship. Investigation timelines vary but can last for months before a rocket is cleared to fly again. Blue Origin had planned additional missions this year, including the MK1 Blue Moon lunar lander aiming to launch before the end of the summer. The company had been cleared to launch up to 12 times a year by the Space Force, with CEO Dave Limp indicating a goal of at least eight launches annually.
New Glenn debuted in January 2025, becoming the first commercial rocket to reach orbit on its first attempt. A follow-up mission in November sent a pair of Mars-bound satellites to space. This is the second grounding for New Glenn; the first occurred after the booster failed to land on its debut launch, resulting in a 2.5-month grounding period.
