Blue Origin New Glenn rocket puts satellite payload into wrong orbit
Source: CBS News
Blue Origin launched the company's third New Glenn rocket Sunday, re-flying and successfully recovering a previously used first stage. But the rocket's second stage put the payload, a direct-to-cellphone communications satellite, in an unusable orbit, officials said.
AST SpaceMobile of Midland, Texas, builder of the BlueBird 7 satellite, said in a statement the cellular relay station's on-board propulsion system could not compensate for the lower-than-planned altitude.
"During the New Glenn 3 mission, BlueBird 7 was placed into a lower-than-planned orbit by the upper stage of the launch vehicle," the company said. "While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude is too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and will de-orbited."
The cost of the satellite was not revealed, but the company said it was fully insured.
Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/blue-origin-glenn-rocket-puts-183320518.html
Heckuva job Bozos.
buzzycrumbhunger
(2,007 posts)SergeStorms
(20,687 posts)but the operation was a success.
ananda
(35,291 posts)!@#$%
2naSalit
(103,323 posts)progressoid
(53,249 posts)Well, that's fine then.
Aussie105
(8,033 posts)Space is a Big Place, so yeah, excusable.
Best get the vintage 1976 Texas Instruments calculators out again and calculate where it will 'de-orbit'.
When I see 'it was insured' methinks . . . yeah, who really pays for that mistake?
Just Jerome
(514 posts)to the nearest authorized Amazon return center.
flamingdem
(40,944 posts)NBachers
(19,499 posts)BaronChocula
(4,633 posts)"I wish I could give this zero stars. Delivery was late. And then they took it to the wrong address. I called customer support and they told me to give them 'a couple days' to get it corrected. What are they doing? This isn't brain surgery!"