Blue Origin
company ActiveBezos-founded launch provider behind New Shepard (suborbital) and New Glenn (heavy lift). Partner on Orbital Reef station.
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NASA rolls out Artemis 3 SLS rocket's huge core stage to gear up for 2027 launch (photo)
NASA rolled out the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis 3 mission on April 20, 2026, from Michoud Assembly Facility to the Pegasus barge. This milestone advances preparations for the targeted mid-2027 launch, which will involve testing rendezvous operations with Orion and private lunar landers, including SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon.
New Glenn Grounded and AST SpaceMobile Satellite Lost After Launch Anomaly
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced an anomaly during its third launch, resulting in the BlueBird 7 satellite for AST SpaceMobile being placed into an unsustainable orbit. The BE-3U engine underperformed during the second burn, prompting an FAA investigation and grounding of the vehicle. AST SpaceMobile plans to file an insurance claim for the lost satellite.
Blue Origin launches third New Glenn rocket, but payload ends up in wrong orbit
Blue Origin launched its third New Glenn rocket carrying the AST SpaceMobile Bluebird 7 satellite, which unfortunately ended up in the wrong orbit. The rocket successfully re-flew a previously used first stage, but the payload's off-nominal orbit represents a setback for AST SpaceMobile's plans to deploy a constellation of 60 satellites for global cellular broadband service.
AST SpaceMobile loses BlueBird #7
AST SpaceMobile lost its BlueBird 7 satellite on April 19, 2026, due to a failure in the upper stage of a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket. Insured for $30 million, the satellite was left in a non-nominal orbit. This incident has raised concerns about AST's reliability and will prompt a thorough investigation into the rocket's performance.
Impressive Starlink deployment rate
SpaceX has launched and deployed 4,207 Starlink satellites in 469 days, significantly outpacing Amazon Leo, which plans a constellation of 3,232 satellites. Amazon faces challenges meeting FCC obligations for its Gen 1 deadline due to delays from launch providers like Arianespace and Blue Origin. The FCC has authorized a second-generation constellation with extended deployment deadlines.
Blue Origin Unveils Project Quartz Global Ground Station Network
Blue Origin unveiled Project Quartz, a global network of ground stations and operation centers, announced by Tory Bruno on April 16, 2026. This initiative enhances capabilities for complex orbital missions and national security. Project Quartz will support the New Glenn rocket and Blue Ring vehicle, ensuring secure command and control for DoD missions and future projects.
AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 declared lost following New Glenn launch
AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 was declared lost after its deployment into an incorrect orbit following the New Glenn launch. The satellite, intended for 4G/5G connectivity, was placed in a 154 x 494 km orbit, too low for operational thrusters. Blue Origin is assessing the anomaly while AST SpaceMobile plans to recover costs via insurance.
Blue Origin Achieves First Booster Reuse but Satellite Enters Off-Nominal Orbit
Blue Origin successfully launched and recovered its New Glenn booster for the second time on April 19, 2026, during mission NG-3. However, the primary payload, AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7, entered an off-nominal orbit. This milestone enhances Blue Origin's reusability strategy, aiming for 8-12 flights in 2026 to meet demand from clients like Amazon's Project Kuiper.
New Glenn launches for 3rd time, reuses first stage and lands it, but fails to put satellite in correct orbit
Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket for the third time, reusing the first stage, which landed successfully. However, the mission failed to place AST SpaceMobile's Bluebird-7 satellite in the correct orbit, resulting in its loss. This launch marks Blue Origin's first commercial mission, despite its ongoing reputation for slow operations and the satellite's failure.
Space Force weighs Vulcan flights without solid boosters
U.S. Space Force is evaluating the potential for Vulcan flights without solid rocket boosters under investigation, according to Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant. This adjustment could allow lower-energy missions to proceed while SpaceX handles critical national security launches. The situation impacts future National Security Space Launch contracts, emphasizing the need for a third launch provider amid current supply constraints.