Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on April 19, 2026, marking another important step in the company’s heavy-lift launch program. The mission carried the BlueBird 7 satellite, developed by AST SpaceMobile, aimed at enabling direct-to-cell broadband connectivity from space.
However, despite a successful liftoff and satellite separation, the mission did not fully achieve its objectives.
What went wrong
During the New Glenn 3 mission, the rocket’s upper stage placed the satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit. Although BlueBird 7 successfully powered on after separation, the altitude is too low to sustain operations using its onboard propulsion system.
As a result, the satellite will be deorbited and lost.
AST SpaceMobile stated that the financial loss is expected to be covered by its insurance policy.
What about the booster landing?
The mission still represents significant technical progress for Blue Origin, as the first-stage booster was successfully recovered—an essential milestone for achieving reusability and reducing launch costs.
However, the upper-stage issue raises concerns about the system’s overall reliability, as such failures directly affect mission success.
Industry impact
AST SpaceMobile continues to pursue an ambitious deployment strategy, with dozens of satellites in production and frequent launches planned throughout 2026. The company aims to build a global space-based cellular network capable of competing with services like Starlink, operated by SpaceX.
Despite this setback, AST SpaceMobile still targets having approximately 45 satellites in orbit by the end of the year.
