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2w ago

FAA Grounds Blue Origin’s New Glenn After Wrong Orbit Leaves AST Satellite Lost

Regulators halted flights to force a root-cause review of the upper-stage failure.

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The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from LC36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
The Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from LC36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Spectators watch the sunrise from the beach at Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as they wait to watch the launch of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force station, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Overview

  • Blue Origin’s New Glenn, which launched Sunday, delivered AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 to an orbit too low to use, and AST says it will de‑orbit the craft with the loss covered by insurance.
  • After Monday’s grounding, the FAA said Blue Origin must lead a mishap investigation under agency oversight and win approval of corrective actions before New Glenn can fly again.
  • Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said early data point to one BE‑3U engine on the upper stage producing insufficient thrust during a second burn, a preliminary finding still under review.
  • AST SpaceMobile shares fell roughly 12% to 14% Monday as the loss adds schedule risk to its plan for about 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026 despite near‑term replacements in production.
  • The flight also achieved New Glenn’s first booster reflight and landing, a milestone now weighed against questions about upper‑stage reliability in a market where cadence and trust are critical.