Blue Origin has put a hold on its New Glenn rocket after the Federal Aviation Administration requested an investigation into a failed satellite launch, dealing a blow to the company's aspirations in space.
The rocket, which was created by Jeff Bezos's company, tried to send a satellite for AST SpaceMobile into orbit but didn't quite make it. Dave Limp, the CEO, mentioned that the problem was due to not enough engine thrust, which meant the satellite ended up in an orbit that was too low to work properly.
The FAA announced that it will conduct a "mishap investigation," which means Blue Origin has to figure out what went wrong and make necessary fixes before the New Glenn can take off again. This was just the third launch for New Glenn, and the company had hoped to carry out as many as twelve missions this year.
AST SpaceMobile stated that the loss should be covered by insurance, although they didn't reveal how much it would cost. Following the incident, the company's shares dropped over 6 percent.
This failed mission comes at a time when the competition in the satellite internet sector is heating up. Blue Origin is working on its TerraWave project, and Amazon is ramping up its own satellite initiatives.
Both are in a race against SpaceX and its Starlink network, headed by Elon Musk, which already has thousands of satellites providing global internet coverage.
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