Source: Ars Technica
Summary
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has suffered its third launch failure. The company’s third attempt to reach orbit ended in failure due to a problem with the rocket’s second stage. Despite this, Blue Origin is still planning to return New Glenn to flight this year. The company has not provided a specific timeline for the next launch. The failure is a setback for Blue Origin’s plans to launch commercial satellites and people into space.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds ambitious.
New Glenn’s third launch failure is being brushed off as a minor setback. The rocket’s second stage is still not working as planned. Blue Origin is still promising to return to flight this year, because that’s what you do when you have a multi-billion dollar rocket program. The company is likely to rebrand this failure as a “learning experience” and move on. Meanwhile, the rest of us are still waiting for New Glenn to actually work.
Author: Evan Null
Launch Failures are the New Normal
New Glenn’s third launch failure is just the latest in a string of setbacks for Blue Origin. The company’s rocket program has been plagued by delays and technical issues, and it’s starting to look like launch failures are just a normal part of the process.
The Second Stage Blues
The problem with New Glenn’s second stage is still unclear, but it’s clear that it’s a major issue. The company has been working on fixing the problem, but so far, no luck. It’s starting to look like the second stage is the Achilles’ heel of the New Glenn rocket.
Ambitious Timelines
Blue Origin is still claiming that New Glenn will return to flight this year, but it’s hard to take that claim seriously. The company has a history of missing deadlines and pushing back timelines, and it’s likely that we’ll see more of the same with New Glenn.
Rebranding Failure
Blue Origin is likely to rebrand this failure as a “learning experience” and move on. The company has a history of spinning failures as successes, and it’s likely that we’ll see more of the same with New Glenn.
Waiting for New Glenn to Work
The rest of us are still waiting for New Glenn to actually work. The rocket has been in development for years, and it’s still not clear when it will be ready for commercial launches. Meanwhile, other companies are moving forward with their own rocket programs, and it’s starting to look like Blue Origin is falling behind.
