Blue Origin Lands Reused New Glenn Booster After AST SpaceMobile Launch

Overview

• New Glenn, which flew Sunday from Cape Canaveral, delivered AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 to low Earth orbit and then landed its first stage on a barge in the Atlantic.
• The flight marked the first reuse of a New Glenn booster after full reconditioning that included complete engine replacement.
• The first stage had flown on the NG-2 mission in November and carries the nickname “Never Tell Me the Odds.”
• Blue Origin says proving reuse on a heavy, roughly 100‑meter‑tall rocket is key to lowering launch prices and to competing for commercial business and NASA's Artemis work.
• The launch was New Glenn's third mission, and CEO Dave Limp said before liftoff he wants eight to 12 flights this year.