en.Wedoany.com Reported - On April 19, Blue Origin successfully executed the NG-3 mission, the third launch of its New Glenn rocket, marking a key step in the company's rocket reuse technology by using a previously flown booster core for the first time. The launch lifted off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 internet satellite to low Earth orbit, although the satellite entered a non-nominal orbit.

Jordan Charles, Blue Origin's Vice President for New Glenn, stated in the launch commentary: "NG-3 was a huge flight for us. This was our first flight with a reused booster." The launch was originally scheduled for 6:45 AM Eastern Time, but the countdown was paused at T-3 minutes 57 seconds, ultimately lifting off successfully at 7:25 AM. The New Glenn rocket's first stage separated approximately 3.5 minutes into flight and landed on Blue Origin's drone ship, the "Jacklyn," about six minutes later.

Charles noted that engineers refurbished the rocket's thermal protection system to handle re-entry heat and upgraded its guidance system. The New Glenn rocket is designed for its first stage to be reusable at least 25 times. This mission used the same booster core as NG-2 but equipped with new engines. In the two previous missions, only NG-2 in November 2025 successfully achieved a first-stage landing at sea.

BlueBird 7 is the second Block 2 satellite in the AST SpaceMobile constellation, featuring an antenna span of 2,400 square feet. About two hours after launch, Blue Origin confirmed the satellite had entered a non-nominal orbit and is assessing the situation. The New Glenn rocket stands 322 feet tall and is powered by seven BE-4 engines using liquid oxygen and liquid methane fuel.

Blue Origin plans to use the New Glenn rocket to launch its Blue Moon lander as part of NASA's Artemis program. Company officials stated that the Mark 1 Blue Moon lander will launch to the Moon before late summer, having already completed environmental testing. The reusability of the New Glenn rocket enables it to compete with SpaceX's Falcon rocket series, driving the development of commercial spaceflight.

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