Blue Origin is poised to launch its third New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, scheduled for shortly before dawn on Sunday, April 19, 2026. This mission will carry the BlueBird 7 satellite, developed by AST SpaceMobile, into low Earth orbit. The launch, designated NG-3, represents a significant milestone for Blue Origin as it demonstrates the first reuse of a booster.
The booster, named Never Tell Me the Odds, previously completed a successful flight in November 2025, landing on the company’s ocean-going platform, Jacklyn. The launch is set to occur during a two-hour window that opens at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 UTC), with a trajectory directed south-east from the Space Coast. U.S. Space Force meteorologists have predicted a 90-percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch.
Booster Reuse and Engine Upgrades
While much of the booster is being reused, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp clarified that the engines used for this flight are not the same as those that powered the previous mission delivering NASA’s EscaPADE satellites. In a social media post dated April 13, Limp noted, “With our first refurbished booster we elected to replace all seven engines and test out a few upgrades including a thermal protection system on one of the engine nozzles.” He indicated that the engines from the NG-2 flight are planned for future missions.
Design and Future Plans
Blue Origin has become the second company, following SpaceX, to successfully land an orbital-class rocket booster vertically. Both companies utilize remotely-operated landing vessels for recovery, although Blue Origin has yet to announce plans for an on-shore landing pad. The company aims to design its boosters to support up to 25 flights each, although it remains unclear if this will include reusing the same set of engines throughout that lifespan.
The BlueBird 7 satellite is part of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation constellation, intended to provide space-based cellular broadband services for both commercial and government users. While this mission will carry a single Block 2 satellite, future launches of the New Glenn rocket are capable of deploying up to eight satellites, each equipped with an antenna and solar panel array spanning 2,400 square feet. AST SpaceMobile’s Chairman and CEO, Abel Avellan, stated in a March earnings call that the company remains on track to deploy between 45 and 60 satellites into low Earth orbit by the end of this year, with plans for the New Glenn booster to be reused every 30 days during 2026.
Standing at 321 feet tall, the New Glenn rocket is currently positioned at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, ready for its critical mission.
This article was produced by NeonPulse.today using human and AI-assisted editorial processes, based on publicly available information. Content may be edited for clarity and style.
