Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin successfully re-used one of its New Glenn rockets for the first time on Sunday. However, the maiden launch with a customer payload ended in disappointment as the communications satellite BlueBird 7 was placed into an orbit lower than planned.

The upper stage of the New Glenn rocket failed to deliver AST SpaceMobile’s satellite into the desired altitude, rendering it non-functional due to a low orbit that will require de-orbiting and burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The loss is financially cushioned by insurance but comes as a setback for Blue Origin.

This marks the first major failure for New Glenn after years of development and its second mission carrying a payload to space, following NASA’s twin Mars-bound spacecraft last November. The incident raises questions about the reliability of the rocket and its future prospects, particularly given Blue Origin's ambitious plans to become a key player in NASA’s Artemis missions.

The company has already faced pressure from NASA and the Trump administration to deliver on lunar landers by the end of President Trump’s term. Despite these challenges, CEO Dave Limp remains committed to helping NASA return to the moon faster than ever before.