What is the story about?
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, announced on Monday that a faulty engine caused a failed launch over
the weekend, which resulted in a satellite being placed in an incorrect orbit. Consequently, the launches of the New Glenn rocket are now suspended until Blue Origin and the Federal Aviation Administration conclude their investigation into the incident.
Launch Details and Consequences
The New Glenn rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday. Although the first-stage booster successfully landed on an ocean barge shortly after launch, the upper stage failed to deliver the satellite into the required orbit for operational deployment.According to Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp, preliminary analysis suggests that one of the upper stage engines did not generate sufficient thrust, which led to the mission's failure.
Future of the Satellite and Rocket
There has been no immediate information regarding when or where the rocket's upper stage or the AST SpaceMobile satellite might re-enter the atmosphere. The satellite was intended to be integrated into AST SpaceMobile's network, which aims to provide direct communication services from space to smartphones.This launch marked only the third flight of the New Glenn rocket, which is designed for delivering payloads to orbit. NASA has expressed reliance on New Glenn for launching its Blue Moon lunar landers as part of the Artemis program. SpaceX's Starship is also a contender for potential lunar missions as early as 2028.
