Anonymousabout 3 hours ago
Blue Origin completed its investigation into the April 19, 2026 failure of New Glenn's third flight, which stranded AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite in an unrecoverable orbit. The FAA approved the findings on May 22, identifying a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line and caused a thrust anomaly in one of two BE-3U upper-stage engines. With approximately $28 billion invested and national security certification still incomplete, the failure raises pointed questions about Blue Origin's readiness to compete for government contracts and the adequacy of a self-led investigation framework.