Bluebird 7 Satellite Launch Fails, FAA Bans Blue Origin from Flying New Glenn Rocket for the Time Being

JAKARTA - The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned Blue Origin from flying the New Glenn rocket. This order was issued due to a launch failure that occurred on Sunday, April 20, 2026.

The Bluebird 7 satellite launched by the company failed to reach the targeted orbit. Blue Origin must investigate the failure of the mission and find the cause if it wants to launch New Glenn again.

The mission titled New Glenn 3 (NG-3) initially went smoothly. Blue Origin managed to reuse the first stage booster and land it back on the recovery ship.

Unfortunately, the satellite that was supposed to be in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) was actually placed in an orbit that was too low. According to Blue Origin CEO, Dave Limp, this problem occurred due to technical constraints on the upper stage engine that did not provide optimal thrust.

"We believe one of the upper stage engines did not generate enough thrust to reach our target orbit," Dave Limp said in a statement, quoted on Tuesday, April 21.

Bluebird 7's current position cannot be maintained. AST SpaceMobile also stated that they would let the satellite fall and burn in the Earth's atmosphere or undergo a de-orbit process on its own in the near future.

Currently, the company is working with the FAA to find the root of the problem and repair the system as quickly as possible. The results of the investigation will determine when the New Glenn rocket can resume its mission.

This technical problem also puts pressure on Blue Origin's grand plan to support NASA's program to return to the Moon's surface. The reason is that the New Glenn rocket is expected to be the backbone of future lunar lander deliveries.