Blue Origin's lunar lander delays ripple through NASA Artemis schedule
Blue Origin's lunar lander delays are affecting NASA's Artemis program timeline for crewed lunar missions.
Event / Technology
Blue Origin New Glenn Satellite Launch Failure
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully demonstrated booster reusability on April 19, 2025, but failed to deliver AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite to its intended orbit, placing it in a lower-than-planned altitude unsuitable for operations. The satellite will be de-orbited, though insurance covers the loss.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 20 Apr, 00:37 UTC
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What happened
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully launches with reused first stage
Blue Origin successfully launched its third New Glenn rocket on April 19, 2025, at 7:25-7:35 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch marked the first time Blue Origin reused a previously flown New Glenn first stage booster, which successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 9-10 minutes after liftoff.
BlueBird 7 satellite equipped with largest civilian direct-to-cellphone antenna
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite was equipped with a 2,400-square-foot phased array antenna, the largest civilian antenna of its type ever placed in low-Earth orbit. The satellite was designed to provide space-based 4G and 5G cellular broadband service directly to cellphone users anywhere in the world as part of AST SpaceMobile's second-generation BlueBird constellation.
Blue Origin's lunar lander development impacts NASA Artemis timeline
Blue Origin is developing a prototype lunar lander called MK1 Endurance for an uncrewed test mission planned for fall 2025. The company is also building an MK2 lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp stated the company would "move heaven and Earth" to help NASA achieve lunar landings faster. The New Glenn rocket failure may affect Blue Origin's ability to meet NASA's accelerated lunar exploration timeline.
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite placed in incorrect low orbit
The New Glenn rocket's upper stage placed AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 communications satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit on April 19, 2025. The satellite successfully separated from the rocket and powered on, but the altitude was too low to sustain operations with its onboard thruster technology. The satellite will be de-orbited and burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
AST SpaceMobile covered BlueBird 7 satellite loss through insurance
AST SpaceMobile announced that the cost of the lost BlueBird 7 satellite is covered by the company's insurance policy. The company stated that BlueBird 8, BlueBird 9, and BlueBird 10 will be completed in approximately one month, and AST plans to continue launching satellites roughly every other month through 2026 using multiple launch providers with a goal of 45 satellites in orbit by year end.
New Glenn upper stage engine firing issue during third mission
During the New Glenn-3 mission on April 19, 2025, a second upper stage engine firing was expected approximately one hour and 10 minutes after launch, but no update was provided on whether this firing occurred or its full duration. Blue Origin did not release detailed technical information about the cause of the payload deployment failure.
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2 alternative perspectives
New Glenn's Upper Stage Engine Firing Problem Emerges During Third Mission
New Glenn's third mission revealed an upper stage engine firing problem, highlighting continued technical challenges.
Insurance covers AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite loss
Insurance covers AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite loss from the New Glenn mission.
New Glenn's Maiden Flight: Rocket Success Shadowed by Satellite Placement Error
New Glenn rocket succeeded technically but delivered its satellite to the wrong orbit.