Mission Anomaly Unfolds
During its third operational flight on April 19, Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle encountered a significant issue with its second stage. This malfunction
occurred after a successful liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36 at 7:25 a.m. Eastern Time. While the initial ascent and first stage separation proceeded as planned, including the successful recovery of the booster, the upper stage's engine burn did not achieve the intended results. This led to the satellite, AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7, being stranded in an "off-nominal" orbit, rendering it unrecoverable and unserviceable due to insufficient altitude for its onboard propulsion system. The company's webcast ceased after the booster's landing, with updates on the upper stage burn and payload deployment being notably absent during the critical post-separation period.
Payload's Unrecoverable Orbit
The primary objective of the NG-3 mission was to place AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite into a circular orbit approximately 460 kilometers above Earth, with an inclination of 49.4 degrees. This deployment was slated to occur roughly 75 minutes post-launch, following a planned 68-second second burn of the upper stage's BE-3U engines. However, the malfunction prevented this precise orbital insertion. Tracking data from the U.S. Space Force indicated an initial parking orbit of 154 by 494 kilometers with a 36.1-degree inclination, which was evidently insufficient. AST SpaceMobile confirmed several hours post-launch that the satellite, despite separating and powering on, was too low for its own electric propulsion to correct its trajectory, leading to its eventual de-orbit. The company plans to recover the cost of the lost satellite through its insurance policy, which typically covers a portion of the satellite's value and launch expenses.
Booster Reuse Progress
Despite the upper stage setback, the mission marked a milestone with the first reflight of a New Glenn first stage, affectionately named "Never Tell Me The Odds." This booster successfully returned to Blue Origin's landing platform, Jacklyn, in the Atlantic Ocean about 9.5 minutes after launch, having previously carried NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission on flight NG-2. However, the reuse of this stage was not entirely complete, as all seven BE-4 engines were replaced with new units, alongside upgrades to the thermal protection system on one nozzle. Blue Origin intends to utilize the engines from the NG-2 flight for future launches. This focus on booster reuse is paramount for Blue Origin to accelerate its launch cadence, a critical factor in meeting the growing demand from customers like AST SpaceMobile and others, though specific launch forecasts remain undisclosed.
Accelerating Launch Cadence
The company's strategy to ramp up launch rates hinges on efficient booster reuse and streamlined processes. As articulated by Laura Maginnis, vice president of New Glenn mission management, Blue Origin is investing in increased resources and advanced engineering to scale operations rapidly. This aligns with significant market demand for launch services. AST SpaceMobile, in particular, had ambitious plans, aiming to deploy 45 to 60 satellites this year for its direct-to-device (D2D) constellation. BlueBird 7 was the initial launch for this year, following BlueBird 6 in December. AST SpaceMobile's CEO mentioned that future satellite deployments would involve stacking multiple spacecraft, including batches of three, four, six, or eight, onto a single launch vehicle, which is expected to expedite the process and support a frequent series of New Glenn launches. They anticipate reusing the New Glenn booster every 30 days or less after its missions.
Future Launch Outlook
Following the NG-3 incident, AST SpaceMobile reiterated its expectation to conduct one to two launches per month through the end of the year, targeting 45 satellites in orbit. The company has not yet specified how it will achieve this ambitious launch schedule, especially considering the potential extended downtime for New Glenn. The partial loss of the BlueBird 7 satellite underscores the financial implications, as launch insurance typically covers a percentage of the satellite's value, varying between 3.0% and 20.0% based on market conditions and launch vehicle reliability. The successful recovery and reuse of the first stage, albeit with new engines, demonstrates progress, but the upper stage malfunction highlights areas requiring further development to ensure mission success and meet the high launch cadence required by commercial partners.
