The "New Glenn" Rocket Places a Satellite in the Wrong Orbit During Its Third Launch

Launch of the New Glenn Rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, announced that its heavy rocket "New Glenn" successfully launched on its third mission today, Monday, April 20, 2026, from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA.

The company described the launch as proceeding according to the overall operation plan.

Successful Booster Reuse and Landing on a Platform in the Atlantic Ocean

This mission recorded the first reuse of a previous flight booster within the "New Glenn" program, as the booster successfully separated from the rocket and landed on a designated platform in the Atlantic Ocean.

This achievement is an important step in Blue Origin's efforts to develop reuse technologies in the space sector.

Placement of the "Bluebird 7" Satellite in an Orbit Lower than Targeted

Despite the successful launch and landing, "AST SpaceMobile," the manufacturer of the "Bluebird 7" satellite, confirmed that the satellite was placed in an orbit lower than the targeted orbit.

This deviation resulted in not achieving the required trajectory for the operation, with no details about the technical failure disclosed so far.

Blue Origin Opens an Investigation and Confirms Ongoing Assessment

Blue Origin announced that the circumstances surrounding the failure are still under investigation, adding in an official statement: "We are currently evaluating and will update when we have more detailed information."

This comes as part of a comprehensive review of the performance of the rocket's third mission.

New Glenn Rocket's Record in Previous Flights

It is worth mentioning that the "New Glenn" rocket successfully completed its first space flight in January 2025, before executing its second mission about 10 months later, carrying two orbital vehicles belonging to NASA into space on a mission heading towards Mars.

The rocket is part of an advanced development program to enhance heavy launch capabilities.

Blue Origin's Ambition to Compete with SpaceX in the Space Market

Through the "New Glenn" system, Blue Origin aims to strengthen its presence in the commercial launch market and compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX, which currently dominates this sector.

The success or failure of these missions is viewed as a critical factor in determining the company's position in the global space industry.