Blue Origin's ambitious New Glenn rocket is set to soar once again, following a recent clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The announcement, made on Friday, indicates that the rocket is no longer grounded after an incident during its April launch, where the upper stage failed to successfully deploy a commercial payload.
While specifics were sparse, Blue Origin revealed on X that the upper stage encountered an "off-nominal thermal condition," which resulted in one of its three engines producing insufficient thrust. Consequently, the AST SpaceMobile satellite, intended for orbit, unfortunately disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Fortunately, AST SpaceMobile confirmed that it had insurance to cover the loss of the satellite.
This incident occurred during New Glenn's third flight, which, aside from the payload issue, was largely successful. Notably, the company achieved a milestone by reusing the New Glenn booster stage for the first time, successfully landing it on a drone ship in the ocean.
With the FAA's approval, Blue Origin is poised to resume its ambitious launch schedule for New Glenn, aiming for up to 12 launches by the end of 2026. Although the month-long grounding may impact these plans, the company remains committed to advancing its space exploration goals.
This development not only marks a significant step for Blue Origin but also promises to enhance the landscape of commercial space travel, potentially paving the way for more frequent and reliable access to space in the future.