Space industry experts discussed the catastrophic failure of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket and its potential delay for NASA's Artemis IV Moon mission. The 9x4 variant, needed for human landings, faces significant development hurdles.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated Blue Origin is making impressive progress in cleaning up its launch pad after a May 28 New Glenn rocket explosion. NASA relies on Blue Origin's landers for lunar missions, with New Glenn crucial for launches. While Blue Origin aims for a return to flight this year, NASA is also considering alternative launch vehicles.
Blue Origin is doubling down on using its New Glenn rocket this year despite a recent explosion, though the cause remains unknown. CEO Dave Limp stated the company is investigating the aft section of the first stage. They plan to rebuild the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and will use a crane instead of a transporter-erector to expedite return to flight and increase launch cadence.
Blue Origin is rebuilding its Florida launch pad after a New Glenn rocket exploded during a May 28 hot-fire test. CEO Dave Limp stated the company will not rebuild the same pad, opting for a "horizontal/vertical hybrid" configuration to increase flight cadence and return to flight this year. This incident impacts NASA's Artemis program and satellite launches for companies like Amazon.
Nearly a month after Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on its Florida launch pad, destroying LC-36A, the incident raises significant questions for NASA's Artemis Program and commercial customers like Amazon and AST SpaceMobile. The cause is linked to the main engines, also used by ULA's Vulcan rocket.
A month after the New Glenn rocket exploded on its launch pad in Florida, the implications are still being assessed. The explosion destroyed its only launch pad, raising doubts about Blue Origin's timeline for returning the rocket to flight this year. The failure also raises questions for NASA's Artemis program and commercial customers.
A May 28 explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, visible from kilometers away, has raised questions about methane fuel safety. While the exact cause is unknown, the incident highlights methane's reactivity with oxygen and the challenges of its use as rocket fuel, despite its advantages over liquid hydrogen.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a hot-fire test at Cape Canaveral, causing significant damage and raising concerns for Amazon's satellite internet rollout. No injuries were reported, and Amazon confirmed its satellites were safe and not on board.
SpaceX veterans recall the 2016 Falcon 9 rocket explosion as Blue Origin faces a similar challenge with its New Glenn rocket. Experts doubt Blue Origin's timeline for returning to flight, emphasizing the complex infrastructure rebuild required.
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced plans for another New Glenn rocket launch in 2026, despite a major explosion during recent testing. The company aims to fly again before the end of 2026, a timeline considered aggressive by industry observers.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman estimates that repairs to the Cape Canaveral launch pad following the New Glenn rocket explosion will take approximately two years, with completion expected by 2028. The extensive infrastructure restoration will require significant time.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a preflight static fire test in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with no personnel harmed; the incident delays a planned mission to launch 48 satellites for Amazon's Leo internet service.
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Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has been cleared to fly by the FAA after an April launch failure. The upper stage experienced a thermal issue, causing a satellite to burn up. The company implemented corrective measures and aims to resume its aggressive launch schedule.
Blue Origin has launched a new employee stock plan. This aims to boost morale and make benefits competitive with SpaceX. The new plan allows payouts during external funding rounds and tender offers. This offers employees a chance to realize value from their vested options. The company is also focused on its New Glenn rocket and lunar lander projects.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully landed its reusable booster on a drone ship during the NG-3 mission, marking the first reuse of a flown booster. However, the upper stage failed to place the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite in the correct orbit, placing it too low for operations. The FAA has grounded New Glenn pending investigation, with Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp acknowledging the BE-3U engine didn't produce sufficient thrust. This marks the first major failure for the program since its inaugural flight in January 2025.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully launched from Cape Canaveral but failed to deploy an AST SpaceMobile communications satellite into the correct orbit, resulting in payload loss. While NASA was not directly involved, the failure has implications for the Artemis programme as Blue Origin is contracted to develop a human landing system. The rocket is grounded pending FAA investigation, creating uncertainty for NASA's timeline to return humans to the Moon later this decade.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has been grounded by the FAA following a failed launch attempt on Sunday. The rocket, carrying an AST SpaceMobile satellite intended for low-earth orbit mobile phone connectivity, failed to deliver the satellite to its intended orbit due to insufficient engine thrust. This was only the third flight for the New Glenn, which was planning twelve launches this year. AST SpaceMobile's shares fell over 6% on Monday, though the company says the loss is covered by insurance.
Blue Origin achieved its first reuse of a New Glenn rocket on the heavy-lift system's third flight, successfully recovering the booster on a drone ship. However, the mission was partially marred when the upper stage placed AST SpaceMobile's communications satellite into an orbit lower than planned, requiring de-orbiting.
FAA has instructed Blue Origin to investigate the upper stage failure of its New Glenn rocket during Sunday's launch, grounding the vehicle until the probe concludes. The third New Glenn launch successfully landed a reused booster but placed AST SpaceMobile's communications satellite in a lower than planned orbit, rendering it lost. AST SpaceMobile says it has insurance coverage and new satellites ready in weeks. The failure could impact Blue Origin's goal of 12 missions this year and its lunar lander ambitions.
The FAA grounded Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket after its upper stage failed to deliver AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite to the correct orbit during a Sunday launch from Cape Canaveral. The satellite was placed in a lower-than-planned orbit that is too low to sustain operations and will be de-orbited. The rocket's reusable booster landed successfully. This is the second time the FAA has grounded a Blue Origin rocket, following a 2022 grounding of the New Shepard.
Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket, showcasing reusable booster technology with a vertical landing. This achievement, acknowledged by Elon Musk, comes amidst ongoing regulatory disputes between Amazon and SpaceX concerning satellite proposals. Both companies are vying for FCC approval for large satellite constellations, highlighting a competitive landscape in space infrastructure.
It's a major milestone for the company's new mega-rocket system, putting it in position to challenge SpaceX's dominance of the global launch market.
Blue Origin will soon launch the third flight of its New Glenn rocket, this time with a reused booster.
