---
type: source
title: "New Glenn NG-3 Remains Unlaunched — Fourth Consecutive Research Session of 'Imminent' Status"
author: "Blue Origin / NASASpaceFlight / NextBigFuture"
url: https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2026/02/without-blue-origin-launches-ast-spacemobile-will-not-have-usable-service-in-2026.html
date: 2026-03-21
domain: space-development
secondary_domains: []
format: article
status: processed
priority: medium
tags: [Blue-Origin, New-Glenn, NG-3, launch-cadence, Pattern-2, AST-SpaceMobile, reusability]
---

## Content

As of March 21, 2026, New Glenn NG-3 has not launched. The mission — carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 (Block 2) satellite to LEO — was first described as "imminent" in the research session of 2026-03-11 (originally "NET late February 2026"). As of today (session 4), the NSF forum shows "NET March 2026" with no specific launch date announced.

Mission details (unchanged since encapsulation Feb 19, 2026):
- Payload: BlueBird 7 (2,400 sq ft phased array antenna, largest commercial communications array ever to LEO, 10 GHz bandwidth, 120 Mbps peak speeds)
- Launch vehicle: New Glenn (reusing "Never Tell Me The Odds" booster from NG-2/EscaPADE)
- This is the first New Glenn booster reuse mission
- Part of multi-launch agreement: AST SpaceMobile needs 45-60 satellites via Blue Origin by end of 2026

Commercial consequence (unchanged): Without Blue Origin launches, AST SpaceMobile cannot achieve usable mobile service in 2026. The multi-launch agreement between AST and Blue Origin creates a direct service dependency on New Glenn's cadence.

Pattern across 4 sessions:
- Session 1 (2026-03-11): NG-3 described as "imminent" for late Feb / early March
- Session 2 (2026-03-18): NG-3 "NET March 2026"
- Session 3 (2026-03-20): NG-3 still not launched, encapsulated Feb 19
- Session 4 (2026-03-21): No confirmed launch date, no scrub information, "NET March 2026" still current

## Agent Notes
**Why this matters:** The NG-3 delay pattern is accumulating session over session without a clear root cause explanation. This is direct evidence of Pattern 2 (institutional timelines slipping while commercial capabilities accelerate). Blue Origin's reusability demonstration (NG-2 landed its booster) was impressive, but the follow-on launch cadence is proving sluggish. For AST SpaceMobile's 2026 service timeline, this is the critical variable.

**What surprised me:** The absence of any explanation for the delay. Blue Origin hasn't published a scrub notice or technical issue report. The launch is just... not happening, without stated cause. This suggests either: (a) integration or checkout issues they're not publicizing, (b) range scheduling difficulties, or (c) a commercial/contractual hold. The silence is itself informative.

**What I expected but didn't find:** A scrub explanation or anomaly report. Blue Origin's transparency on NG-1 scrubs was reasonable; the NG-3 silence is different.

**KB connections:**
- [[SpaceX vertical integration across launch broadband and manufacturing creates compounding cost advantages that no competitor can replicate piecemeal]] — NG-3's delay is evidence that Blue Origin does NOT replicate the SpaceX flywheel
- [[China is the only credible peer competitor in space with comprehensive capabilities and state-directed acceleration closing the reusability gap in 5-8 years]] — Blue Origin's slow cadence weakens the claim that a diverse competitive landscape exists in the near term
- Pattern 2: Institutional timelines slipping — NG-3 is 4th-session confirmation

**Extraction hints:**
- "Blue Origin's New Glenn launch cadence after NG-2 is significantly slower than announced targets, with NG-3 delayed 4+ weeks past 'NET late February' without public explanation" — evidences Pattern 2
- "AST SpaceMobile's 2026 commercial satellite service availability depends on Blue Origin New Glenn cadence, creating a commercial deadline pressure on a vehicle with demonstrated delivery uncertainty"

**Context:** Blue Origin NG-3 delay is now 4+ weeks past original target. NG-2 (EscaPADE) launched November 2025 and landed the booster successfully. The reflight capability was a major milestone. But reflight cadence is the next test — and it's not meeting expectations.

## Curator Notes
PRIMARY CONNECTION: [[SpaceX vertical integration across launch broadband and manufacturing creates compounding cost advantages that no competitor can replicate piecemeal]]
WHY ARCHIVED: 4-session pattern of NG-3 "imminent" status is the strongest cross-session data signal in this research thread. The commercial consequence (AST SpaceMobile 2026 service at risk) makes this high-stakes.
EXTRACTION HINT: The claim should be about launch cadence, not launch capability — Blue Origin proved it can land boosters; it has not proved it can maintain commercial launch cadence targets
