Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Grounded After Sunday Satellite Launch Failure

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket fleet is currently grounded after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated an investigation into a 'mishap' that occurred during a satellite launch attempt this Sunday.

The company, financed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, attempted to deploy a satellite for AST SpaceMobile. However, the rocket failed to deliver the payload to its designated orbital position.

Dave Limp, Blue Origin's chief executive, attributed the failure to 'insufficient thrust' from an engine. Following the incident, AST SpaceMobile's share price declined by over 6% on Monday. Mr Limp stated, 'We clearly didn't deliver the mission our customer wanted, and our team expects.'

The FAA is overseeing Blue Origin's internal investigation into the incident, which marks only the third flight for the New Glenn rocket. A spokesperson for the authority confirmed, 'The FAA is requiring Blue Origin to conduct a mishap investigation,' adding that the agency '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.'

Mr Limp indicated the investigation would allow Blue Origin to 'learn from the data and implement the improvements needed to quickly return to flight operations.' The FAA will ultimately determine when New Glenn launches can resume. Blue Origin had initially projected a dozen launches this year.

The satellite, intended for low Earth orbit to facilitate mobile phone connectivity, is now unusable. AST SpaceMobile confirmed the loss is covered by insurance, though the exact cost remains undisclosed. The burgeoning market for satellite-based internet access, particularly in remote areas, has seen increasing competition, with Blue Origin's 'TerraWave' project planning thousands of satellites. Amazon's acquisition of a satellite manufacturer for $11 billion (£8.5 billion) signals further investment in its own 'Leo' project, both aiming to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink, which already operates thousands of satellites.