Amazon is preparing to launch a record number of satellites aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket as it seeks to expand its low-Earth orbit broadband network. This upcoming mission will deliver 48 commercial satellites in a single flight, surpassing previous multi-satellite launches by Amazon on rockets from United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, and Arianespace.
The flight comes shortly after Blue Origin completed the investigation of its previous New Glenn mission, which suffered a malfunction that placed a customer’s payload in an unusable orbit. With the failure inquiry closed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Blue Origin now anticipates rolling the New Glenn rocket to its Florida launch pad for engine tests before liftoff, likely within the next week.
This rapid turnaround reflects Blue Origin’s intent to increase launch frequency for the New Glenn rocket, which uses seven engines powered by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen. The new mission will release Amazon’s satellites hundreds of miles above Earth, supporting the expansion of the company's broadband coverage globally.
Meanwhile, another heavy-lift vehicle once considered critical for Amazon’s satellite deployment, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, faces ongoing setbacks. Despite being selected as the primary launcher for Amazon's first-generation constellation—which aims for over 3,200 satellites—Vulcan is grounded due to issues with its solid rocket boosters. These problems have delayed the start of the Vulcan launch schedule, originally planned to begin later this year.
Each Vulcan launch for Amazon is scheduled to include six booster motors, emphasizing the urgency for a reliable alternative as the company awaits resolution of the booster anomaly. Blue Origin’s New Glenn thus emerges as a key asset in Amazon’s ambitious effort to build its broadband constellation amid challenges faced by other launch providers.
The upcoming New Glenn mission also marks a shift in the aerospace landscape, as Blue Origin and Amazon—both founded by Jeff Bezos—coordinate closely to meet satellite deployment goals despite earlier setbacks. The success of this flight will be instrumental in validating New Glenn as a dependable heavy-lift vehicle in a market with few alternatives.