Blue Origin wraps up New Glenn failure investigation
▼ Summary
– Blue Origin completed its investigation into the April 19 New Glenn NG-3 mission failure, and the FAA approved the report, allowing launches to resume.
– The failure occurred during the second-stage burn due to a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line, causing a BE-3U engine to not achieve full thrust.
– The FAA confirmed nine corrective actions were identified by Blue Origin, which must be implemented before the next New Glenn launch.
– Blue Origin is preparing for the NG-4 mission, with a new vehicle installed on a transporter-erector, but has not disclosed a launch schedule or customer.
– AST SpaceMobile, the NG-3 customer, expressed optimism about Blue Origin returning to flight soon and noted its next New Glenn launch will carry four BlueBird satellites.
Blue Origin has officially closed the investigation into the failure that occurred during the third flight of its New Glenn rocket, clearing the way for launch operations to resume. The company confirmed on May 22 that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved its final report concerning the April 19 NG-3 mission, which experienced a critical anomaly during the second-stage burn.
That mishap left the payload, AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite, stranded in an orbit too low for recovery. According to Blue Origin, the problem originated with the rocket’s second stage, referred to as GS2. “Prior to our second GS2 burn, we experienced an off-nominal thermal condition, and, as a result, one of the BE-3U engines didn’t achieve full thrust to reach our target orbit,” the company stated.
The FAA confirmed it had closed the mishap investigation, which was led by Blue Origin, and authorized the vehicle to return to flight. The agency’s statement identified the direct cause as a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line, triggering a thrust anomaly during the second-stage engine burn. Blue Origin identified nine corrective actions to prevent a recurrence, though the company did not disclose what those measures entail. The FAA noted it will verify implementation of these actions before the next New Glenn launch.
Blue Origin offered few additional details but confirmed it is already preparing for the NG-4 mission. Earlier in the day, CEO Dave Limp shared a video on social media showing a new vehicle being mounted on a transporter-erector, captioned, “Next stop integrated hotfire.” The company has not yet revealed a target launch date or a customer for NG-4.
Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile, which lost its satellite on NG-3, recently shipped three BlueBird satellites to Florida for a June launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. During a May 11 earnings call, AST Chief Strategy Officer Scott Wisniewski expressed confidence in Blue Origin’s recovery. “An upper-stage anomaly like this is not uncommon early in programs, and we feel optimistic about them getting back to the pad soon,” he said. Wisniewski added that the next New Glenn mission for AST will carry four BlueBird satellites, though he did not specify a timeline.
(Source: SpaceNews)
