Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully landed its reusable booster this week – but the mission’s partial failure has grounded the spacecraft until further notice. The FAA announced Monday it’s requiring a full investigation after the rocket failed to deliver AST SpaceMobile’s satellite to its target orbit 🌌.
"Engine Thrust Issue" Blamed
CEO Dave Limp confirmed via social media that a BE-3U engine underperformed during the critical second burn phase. While the 98-meter rocket’s first stage made a picture-perfect Atlantic Ocean landing 9.5 minutes after Sunday’s Florida launch 🎥, the satellite now orbits too low for practical use – a $#!tty birthday gift for Bezos’ space ambitions.
Space Race Pressure Mounts
This setback comes as Blue Origin races against Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop lunar landers for NASA’s Artemis program. While AST SpaceMobile expects insurance to cover the satellite loss 💸, the FAA’s "return to flight" conditions could delay New Glenn’s next launch – giving Musk’s Starship team more runway in the billionaire space derby 🏁.
