Anonymousabout 3 hours ago
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket was grounded by the FAA after its third flight on April 19, 2026, failed to deliver AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite to its intended orbit due to an upper-stage engine malfunction. The incident — which resulted in a total loss of the $30 million insured satellite — threatens Blue Origin's ambitious plan to fly 8-12 missions in 2026 and raises questions about the organizational pressure to accelerate launch cadence after years of criticism that the company moved too slowly.