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Blue Origin Rocket Grounded After Mishap Destroys Customer Satellite

The FAA has grounded Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket following a partial failure during its third mission, which resulted in the loss of a customer satellite. An investigation into the incident is now underway.

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USA - Ekhbary News Agency

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a critical failure during its third flight (NG-3) prevented a customer satellite from reaching its intended orbit. The mission aimed to deploy the BlueBird 7 communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile, marking a significant step for Blue Origin's commercial launch services. However, the rocket's upper stage failed to provide sufficient thrust during a crucial burn, leaving the satellite in a low orbit from which it will be deorbited and destroyed.

While the reusable first stage booster performed as expected and landed successfully, the failure of the upper stage's BE-3U engine has led the FAA to classify the event as a "mishap." This designation automatically triggers a mandatory investigation and a grounding of the New Glenn vehicle until safety concerns are resolved. Blue Origin will lead the inquiry under FAA oversight, with the duration of the grounding uncertain. This setback could impact Blue Origin's future launch plans, including those for Amazon's satellite network and its Blue Moon lunar lander mission, and poses a reputational challenge after its first commercial payload mission.

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