The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated Blue Origin to conduct an investigation following the failure of the upper stage during the recent launch of its New Glenn rocket. According to the Orlando Sentinel, this directive halts any further missions of the New Glenn until the inquiry is concluded.
This setback poses a significant obstacle to Blue Origin’s plans to carry out up to 12 additional New Glenn missions within the year, depending on the investigation’s duration. The company has yet to comment publicly on the upper stage failure and has not responded to requests for further information.
The incident occurred during Blue Origin’s third launch of the New Glenn rocket. Initially, the launch went smoothly, marking a milestone as it reused a previous booster, successfully landing it on a drone ship in the ocean. This achievement in rocket reusability positions Blue Origin to better compete with SpaceX, the leading company in the space launch sector.
The primary objective of the mission was to deliver a communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile. Although the rocket’s second stage separated successfully, complications arose soon after, resulting in the satellite being placed into an orbit lower than intended. AST SpaceMobile has since declared the satellite a total loss, opting to allow it to disintegrate upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. They noted they have insurance to cover the financial loss and have several additional satellites nearing completion for future launches.
After the announcement, AST SpaceMobile’s stock saw a decline of over 10% but later showed signs of recovery. For Blue Origin, this upper stage mishap presents a threat not only to its commercial aspirations but also to its ambitions related to lunar exploration, as the company is actively developing a lunar lander with plans to engage in upcoming NASA missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon.
Additionally, Blue Origin is working towards obtaining certification for the New Glenn rocket from the U.S. Space Force, which would enable it to participate in national security missions. The Space Force has not yet provided a comment regarding this situation.
In summary, the investigation ordered by the FAA could have lasting implications for Blue Origin’s upcoming mission schedule and its future engagements in both commercial and governmental space activities.
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