Blue Origin’s reusable New Glenn rocket achieved its second successful landing on June 30, 2024, during a mission to deploy AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite. The launch marked a milestone for Jeff Bezos’ space venture, demonstrating the rocket’s reusability.
However, the mission did not go as planned for AST SpaceMobile. While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on successfully, the second stage of the New Glenn rocket delivered the satellite to a lower orbit than intended. As a result, the BlueBird 7 satellite is now functionally useless.
In an official statement, AST SpaceMobile acknowledged the partial success:
"While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude was lower than expected."
The failure underscores the challenges of space missions, even as reusable rocket technology advances. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket remains a key player in the commercial spaceflight industry, but this incident highlights the risks associated with satellite deployment.
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