Blue Origin New Glenn rocket puts satellite payload into wrong orbit

WASHINGTON, 20th April, 2026 (WAM) — Blue Origin launched the company’s third New Glenn rocket Sunday, re-flying and successfully recovering a previously used first stage. But the rocket’s second stage put the payload, a direct-to-cellphone communications satellite, in an unusable orbit.

AST SpaceMobile of Midland, Texas, builder of the BlueBird 7 satellite, said in a statement the cellular relay station’s on-board propulsion system could not compensate for the lower-than-planned altitude.

“During the New Glenn 3 mission, BlueBird 7 was placed into a lower-than-planned orbit by the upper stage of the launch vehicle,” the company said. “While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude is too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and will de-orbited.”