Blue Origin’s newest rocket has been grounded following an investigation into Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders following a failed satellite launch.
The company led by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos attempted to deploy an AST SpaceMobile satellite using its New Glenn Rocket, but the vehicle failed to reach its intended altitude.
In this regard, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the failure was caused by a lack of “sufficient thrust” in an engine.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “The FAA is requiring Blue Origin to conduct an accident investigation.
“The FAA will oversee the Blue Origin-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process and approve Blue Origin’s final report, including any corrective actions.”
The FAA has grounded Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket after its third flight. Future launches have been suspended pending an investigation into why the rocket failed to complete its mission.
The rocket carried an AST satellite designed for mobile phone connectivity. Because the satellite was placed in a lower orbit than intended, the satellite is now unusable. Although AST confirmed that the loss will be covered by insurance, the specific financial impact and cost of the satellite were not disclosed.
Despite this setback, Blue Origin has aggressive goals, including a dozen planned launches this year and the eventual development of thousands of satellites for its TerraWave project.
Amazon is investing heavily in the sector and recently acquired a satellite manufacturer for $11 billion to bolster its own satellite project, LEO.
Both Blue Origin and Amazon are rushing to catch up with Elon Musk’s Starlink, which currently dominates the market with thousands of operational satellites. Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX, is expected to go public later this year, potentially resulting in a record-breaking stock market listing.
