First, Blue Origin uses a recycled rocket to send a satellite into space – but ends up in ‘off-nominal orbit’.
Jeff Bezos’ space venture Blue Origin used the rocket booster that once flew the New Glenn to send a satellite into space today, marking a first for the company.
After the second launch, the first stage booster – nicknamed “Never Tell Me the Odds” – made another successful landing on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean. However, Blue Origin said AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite was not put into its intended orbit.
“We have confirmed the separation of the payload. AST SpaceMobile has confirmed that the satellite is open. The payload has been placed in an illegal orbit,” Blue Origin said in a status report sent to X more than two hours after launch. “We are currently investigating and will update when we have more information.”
The rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:25 am ET (4:25 am PT). The dual-use booster made its first flight last November when it launched NASA’s Escapade probe on a mission to Mars. Blue Origin’s Florida team discovered and developed the booster that will be launched today.
Blue Origin used a similar approach today. A webcast showed the booster reaching out to touch down the landing craft, which was named Jacklyn in honor of Bezos’ mother. Team members could be heard cheering at Mission Control in Florida, the company’s headquarters in Kent, Wash., and other outposts in Texas and Alabama.
“Welcome back to Never Tell Me Strange,” said presenting analyst Tabitha Lipkin. “Good to say that twice.”
This was the third launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn orbital-class rocket. The first liftoff in January 2025 sent a payload into orbit to test the communication and control systems of Blue Origin’s Blue Ring space travel platform. Blue Origin tried to bring back the booster used in that mission, called “So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance,” but that first booster missed its chance.
After today’s successful booster touchdown, the focus shifted to the mission’s primary mission: launching BlueBird 7 from the rocket’s second stage. That was supposed to happen an hour and 15 minutes after liftoff, but it took an hour longer for Blue Origin to issue its update — which decided to say whether the satellite could be saved.
If BlueBird 7 can be saved, it could join six other satellites in the AST SpaceMobile constellation in Texas. BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver mobile broadband connections directly from space to ordinary smartphones.
AST SpaceMobile aims to have up to 60 satellites in its constellation by the end of 2026. The company plans to begin offering commercial satellite service in partnership with AT&T and Verizon later this year.
Direct-to-device connectivity is being developed as a fast-moving frontier for satellite broadband services. SpaceX was the first to enter the fray: It reached a D2D agreement with T-Mobile in 2022 and is integrating the Starlink satellite network to meet the needs of mobile subscribers.
Last week, Amazon announced that it will acquire Globalstar, a satellite operator from Louisiana, and will work with Apple to develop D2D services. That deal is expected to power Amazon’s Leo satellite network, a Starlink competitor that is due to begin commercial service this year.
Rocket reusability is another technology area where SpaceX has long been a leader but is now facing increasing competition. The ability to recover and reuse rocket boosters plays a major role in SpaceX’s strategy to lower launch costs. Despite the unwelcome news about the satellite’s condition, today’s launch showed that Blue Origin is able to increase the reusability of the rockets.
This report has been updated with Blue Origin’s status report on BlueBird 7.
