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United States·Technology

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket strands satellite in wrong orbit after engine failure

Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 18:16 · 1 min read

Jeff Bezos's rocket company Blue Origin has grounded its New Glenn rocket after a faulty upper-stage engine left a communications satellite in an incorrect orbit during a Sunday launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, rendering the spacecraft inoperable. CEO Dave Limp said preliminary data indicates one upper-stage engine failed to generate sufficient thrust, though the rocket's reusable first-stage booster successfully landed on an ocean barge; the stranded satellite and upper stage subsequently reentered the atmosphere on Monday. The failure is a significant setback for Blue Origin, as NASA is relying on New Glenn to launch lunar landers for its Artemis moon programme, and all further flights are suspended pending an investigation by the company and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Sources
PBS NewsHourBlue Origin's New Glenn rocket grounded after launching satellite into wrong orbit ↗︎
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