The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket after an upper-stage problem placed an AST SpaceMobile satellite into the wrong orbit, turning a major booster-reuse milestone into a failed customer mission.
New Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on April 19, 2026, carrying AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite. The flight marked New Glenn’s third mission and Blue Origin’s first reuse of a New Glenn booster.
The first stage, named Never Tell Me The Odds, returned successfully and landed on Blue Origin’s ocean platform, giving the company an important step toward reusable heavy-lift launch operations.
But the mission failed after the rocket’s upper stage placed BlueBird 7 into an off-nominal orbit. AST SpaceMobile said the satellite separated from the rocket and powered on, but the orbit was too low for the spacecraft’s onboard propulsion system to sustain orbit.
The company said it would deorbit the satellite and expects insurance to cover the costly mistake.
The FAA classified the event as a mishap and said Blue Origin must conduct an investigation before New Glenn can return to flight. The FAA will oversee the company-led review and must approve Blue Origin’s final report, including any corrective actions, before another New Glenn launch can proceed.
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said after the flight that the company was pleased with the booster recovery but “didn’t deliver the mission” its customer expected. Initial data pointed to the second burn of the upper stage failing to generate enough thrust to reach the planned orbit, Limp said on social media.
The loss creates a setback for AST SpaceMobile, which is building a satellite-based cellular broadband network designed to connect directly with standard mobile phones. BlueBird 7 was part of that buildout, and AST has been working to expand its constellation in 2026.
Reuters reported that BlueBird 7 was one of the satellites AST plans to use in a network competing in the fast-growing direct-to-device communications market.
The mishap comes as Blue Origin pushes New Glenn into a larger role for commercial, national security and civil space missions. The rocket’s seven-meter fairing gives it room for large payloads and multi-satellite missions.
