Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a failed attempt to deliver a payload to its intended orbit on Sunday. While the launch from Cape Canaveral initially appeared nominal, telemetry data revealed that the satellite reached an altitude of only 95 miles—far short of the planned 285-mile target. At such a low altitude, the orbit is unsustainable, effectively ending the mission prematurely.
The FAA has officially classified the incident as a "mishap," a designation that triggers a mandatory investigation to determine the root cause and identify necessary corrective actions. The agency stated that a return to flight will be contingent upon a determination that the systems and processes involved do not compromise public safety. Blue Origin has not yet released specific details regarding why the rocket failed to achieve the proper positioning after its scheduled burns.
This setback marks the second time New Glenn has faced an FAA-mandated pause in its brief operational history. Following its debut launch, the rocket was sidelined for nearly three months after a landing failure. This latest investigation arrives at a critical juncture for the company, as it prepares for a high-stakes series of launches later this year to deploy Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellites. The duration of the current grounding will determine if those commercial timelines remain viable.
With reporting from Engadget.
Source · Engadget
