FAA Grounds Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket After Upper Stage Failure Leaves AST SpaceMobile Satellite in Wrong Orbit
AI / AI Tech Trends | 4 min read
Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following its third mission on 19 April 2026 — which ended in an upper-stage failure that stranded a commercial satellite far below its intended operational orbit. The rocket lifted off successfully from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and in a notable milestone, flew a previously used first-stage booster — nicknamed "Never Tell Me The Odds" — for the first time in Blue Origin's history. The booster performed flawlessly, separating and landing intact on the recovery vessel Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean. However, the upper stage failed to execute the correct engine burn to circularise the orbit, leaving the payload — AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite — stranded at approximately 95–154 miles (~150–250 km) altitude, far below the intended ~285-mile (460 km) target orbit. The satellite is considered a total loss; it will deorbit and burn up in the atmosphere. The upper stage also apparently failed to complete its planned third burn to deorbit itself safely into the open ocean. Insurance is expected to cover the hardware cost.
What Happened — The Engine Failure and FAA Response
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp stated that preliminary data indicates one of the upper-stage engines failed to produce sufficient thrust — preventing the second burn from reaching the planned orbital altitude. The FAA promptly classified the event as a "mishap" and has required Blue Origin to lead a formal investigation with FAA oversight. The agency's statement confirmed it was aware that "Blue Origin New Glenn 3 experienced a mishap during the second-stage flight sequence following a successful launch." The FAA has notified NASA and the National Transportation Safety Board, and requires Blue Origin to obtain agency approval of its final investigation report before resuming flights — and to implement any necessary corrective actions. The US Space Force confirmed on the following day that the upper stage and satellite had re-entered the atmosphere. Blue Origin has not yet provided a timeline for return to flight; mishap investigations for new launch vehicles can last weeks to several months depending on the complexity of the failure.
Context — New Glenn's Track Record, Customers, and 2026 Plans
This is the second time the FAA has grounded New Glenn and the rocket's first launch failure. New Glenn's debut in January 2025 — the first commercial rocket to reach orbit on its first attempt — ended in a 2.5-month grounding after the booster failed to land, though the payload reached orbit successfully. The second flight in November 2025 was fully successful. Blue Origin had been targeting at least eight New Glenn launches in 2026, having been licensed by the Space Force for up to 12 per year. Upcoming affected missions include the uncrewed MK1 Blue Moon lunar lander test flight (originally eyed for summer 2026) and multiple Amazon Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation launches. The failed payload, BlueBird 7, was intended to join AST SpaceMobile's constellation of satellites designed to deliver cellular broadband connectivity directly from space to standard smartphones. AST SpaceMobile — which had planned to conduct a launch every one to two months on average and had targeted approximately 45 satellites in orbit by end of 2026 — said it still plans to maintain that constellation target through its agreements with multiple launch providers.
Key Takeaways
- • Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket (third flight; 19 April 2026; Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station) has been grounded by the FAA after its upper stage failed to deliver sufficient thrust to reach the planned orbital altitude. FAA has classified the event as a "mishap" — requiring Blue Origin to conduct a formal investigation with FAA oversight and obtain agency approval of its final report before resuming flights. NASA and NTSB have been notified.
- • What happened: one of the upper-stage engines failed to produce sufficient thrust (per Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp's preliminary data). The second engine burn did not reach the planned orbital altitude. BlueBird 7 (AST SpaceMobile) deployed at 95–154 miles (~150–250 km) altitude vs the intended ~285-mile (460 km) target — far too low for operations. The satellite is a total loss; it will deorbit and burn up. The upper stage's planned third deorbit burn into the open ocean also apparently failed. Insurance expected to cover hardware cost.
- • First-stage milestone: despite the upper-stage failure, the flight achieved a significant reusability milestone — first time Blue Origin has flown a previously used New Glenn booster. The first stage "Never Tell Me The Odds" (flown on the November 2025 second mission) landed successfully on the recovery vessel Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean for the second time — confirming New Glenn's first-stage reusability model. The US Space Force confirmed the upper stage and satellite re-entered the atmosphere the following day.
- • New Glenn track record: Debut (January 2025) — first commercial rocket to reach orbit on its maiden flight; booster lost; 2.5-month FAA grounding. Second flight (November 2025) — fully successful; first booster recovery. Third flight (April 19, 2026) — first launch failure; second FAA grounding. Blue Origin had targeted 8+ New Glenn launches in 2026 (licensed for up to 12/year by Space Force). Investigation timeline unknown; could range from weeks to months.
- • Customer impact: AST SpaceMobile (BlueBird 7 lost; constellation of direct-to-smartphone broadband satellites; 45-satellite target by end of 2026; multiple launch provider agreements in place; one launch every 1-2 months planned). Amazon Project Kuiper (multiple planned New Glenn launches for LEO broadband constellation; timeline affected). Blue Moon MK1 uncrewed lunar lander test flight (originally summer 2026; timeline uncertain). The grounding directly affects two of the most commercially significant next-generation space connectivity programmes relying on New Glenn's heavy-lift capability.