AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite, insured for $30M, is a total loss after too-low drop-off by Blue Origin New Glenn 3

by Peter B. de Selding

Update April 21: This story has been updated to include a statement from Blue Origin Chief Executive David Limp

LA PLATA, Maryland — Satellite direct-to-device startup AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite will be deorbited following its release into unsurvivable low orbit following an anomaly on Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission upper stage, AST said Nov. 19.

The satellite, intended to be dropped off into a 460 x 460 kilometer orbit inclined 49.4 degrees relative to the equator, was separated at a 154 . . .

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