AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite launched today aboard Blue Origin’s reusable New Glenn rocket. The New Glenn rocket successfully landed on its pad after the launch, marking the second successful landing for its first stage booster.
This achievement officially provides Jeff Bezos with a reusable launch vehicle. However, the mission was labeled a partial success for AST SpaceMobile due to its satellite reaching a lower orbit than expected.
The lower orbit has rendered the BlueBird 7 functionally useless. AST SpaceMobile stated, “While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude is too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and will de-orbit.”
Jeff Bezos shared a video of the New Glenn rocket’s landing on X without additional comments. The mission underscores the challenges of satellite deployment despite advancements in reusable rocket technology.
