Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced a malfunction during its third flight, placing its payload in a lower orbit than planned. The company was aiming to increase the launch cadence of its heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket was carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite, part of a constellation of satellites designed to provide direct connectivity to smartphones. While the satellite separated from the rocket and powered on, the altitude was too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and will be de-orbited. The booster successfully landed on a landing platform in the Atlantic Ocean nine minutes after liftoff. The failure marks a significant setback for Blue Origin, which plans to launch 45 to 60 more of its next-generation satellites by the end of 2026.