1 week ago
The FAA grounded New Glenn aft it grounded to put its payload into orbit.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin tin now make much actual plans for New Glenn's adjacent formation aft the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared nan rocket for launch. If you'll recall, nan FAA grounded New Glenn aft failing to decently put its payload successful orbit during its 3rd mission. Now, successful a post connected X, nan aerospace institution announced that nan agency approved its study for nan formation and accepted nan corrective measures it implemented. "NG-4 preparations proceed — updates coming soon," Blue Origin wrote, talking astir nan rocket's adjacent flight.
Back successful April, nan institution successfully reused its first-stage New Glenn booster for nan first time for New Glenn's 3rd ngo (NG-3). Everything seemed to beryllium going good until it was clip to put the AST SpaceMobile outer nan conveyance was carrying into orbit. Blue Origin announced astatine nan clip that nan conveyance placed nan satellite "into an off-nominal orbit." AST SpaceMobile revealed later connected that its outer separated from nan vehicle, but its "altitude [was] excessively debased to prolong operations pinch its on-board thruster exertion and will de-orbited."
The FAA grounded New Glenn aft nan incident, which it called a "mishap," and opened an investigation to "determine nan guidelines origin of nan arena and place corrective actions." Shortly aft nan event, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said early information suggested that connected nan 2nd pain of nan rocket's precocious stage, 1 of its BE-3U engines didn't nutrient capable thrust to scope its target orbit. The company's caller station connected X echoes his announcement. "Prior to our 2nd GS2 burn, we knowledgeable an off-nominal thermal condition, and, arsenic a result, 1 of nan BE-3U engines didn't execute afloat thrust to scope our target orbit," Blue Origin wrote.
In a connection sent to SpaceNews, nan FAA revealed that nan last study had identified nan nonstop origin of nan mishap "as a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic statement and led to a thrust anomaly during nan second-stage motor burn." Blue Origin has taken 9 corrective actions since identifying nan rumor to forestall nan incident from happening again. The institution has yet to denote nan timeline for NG-4, but Limp precocious posted a video of New Glenn's transporter erector and revealed that Blue Origin is preparing for integrated hotfire testing, presumably for nan upcoming mission.
Fun video showcasing "No, It's Necessary" lifting connected nan Transporter Erector. Next extremity integrated hotfire. "Never Tell Me The Odds" is successful nan house, excessively (well into it's refurb cycle) pic.twitter.com/HnQO31inoq
— Dave Limp (@davill) May 22, 2026
