Blue Origin New Glenn Puts AST SpaceMobile Phone Satellite In Wrong Orbit
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket put AST SpaceMobile's phone satellite into the wrong orbit. The incident occurred during a recent New Glenn launch and resulted in the satellite being placed outside its intended low Earth orbit.
Details about the cause have not been released, and engineers are expected to review flight telemetry to determine what went wrong. If the satellite can be raised or adjusted, operators may try orbital maneuvers to reach the planned altitude and preserve service goals.
The brief report shared on CBS News' Facebook page prompted online discussion about launch reliability and the risks facing growing commercial space networks. Any long-term impact could slow AST SpaceMobile's planned phone-coverage rollouts and sharpen scrutiny of both new and established launch providers.
đ Key Facts
- Blue Origin launched its third New Glenn rocket Sunday at 7:25 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- The AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 direct-to-cell satellite separated and powered on but was placed into an off-nominal orbit.
- New Glenn's reused first stage landed successfully on an Atlantic barge, the vehicle's first flight with a refurbished booster.
- Blue Origin has not disclosed details of the incorrect orbit or whether BlueBird 7 can maneuver to its intended operational orbit.
- The incident is a setback for AST SpaceMobile's plan to deploy up to 60 next-generation BlueBird satellites for global space-based 4G and 5G service.
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