Blue Origin has wrapped up its investigation into a problem that occurred during the third flight of its New Glenn rocket. This means they can now start launching the vehicle again.
On May 22, Blue Origin announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved their findings from the April 19 launch of New Glenn on its NG-3 mission. During this flight, a malfunction in the second stage, named GS2, left the payload—the BlueBird 7 satellite for AST SpaceMobile—in an orbit that was too low for it to operate effectively.
Blue Origin explained, “Before our second GS2 burn, we encountered an unusual thermal condition. As a result, one of the BE-3U engines didn’t reach the necessary thrust, preventing us from getting to our target orbit.”
The FAA confirmed that it has closed the case on Blue Origin’s launch failure and will allow them to resume launches. They reported that the direct cause of the mishap was a cryogenic leak. This leak froze a hydraulic line, which led to a problem with the thrust during the second-stage engine burn.
According to the FAA, Blue Origin has identified nine steps to avoid this issue in the future, though they haven’t shared what those steps are with the public. The FAA plans to check that these actions are put into place before Blue Origin conducts its next New Glenn mission.
Currently, Blue Origin is gearing up for its next launch, NG-4. Earlier this week, CEO Dave Limp shared a video of new equipment being set up on a transporter-erector with the caption, “Next stop integrated hotfire.” However, they haven’t provided a timeline for the NG-4 mission or disclosed who the customers will be.
AST SpaceMobile, the company behind NG-3, has sent three BlueBird satellites to Florida for an upcoming launch on a different rocket, SpaceX Falcon 9, in June.
In a recent earnings call, Scott Wisniewski, AST’s chief strategy officer, stated, “It’s not uncommon to have an issue like this in early phases of a program. We’re hopeful they’ll be back on the pad soon.” He mentioned that the next New Glenn launch for AST will include four BlueBird satellites, although no schedule has been shared yet.
This incident highlights the complexities involved in rocket launches. As technology advances, such anomalies can occur, but they also help companies learn and improve. The space industry is ever-evolving, and with every challenge, there are always lessons that prepare teams for future successes.
For more in-depth information on FAA investigations and safety protocols in the aerospace industry, you can explore resources from the [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/) on their official site.
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Blue Origin,FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation,New Glenn,SN
