The US Federal Aviation Administration has closed its investigation into a mishap that occurred last September during the launch of Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, and the regulator said Blue must implement 21 corrective actions before it can fly New Shepard again. .
New Shepard was grounded after a September 2022 launch ended with an abort about a minute after liftoff. The vehicle’s capsule, which was not filled with people, had to make an emergency parachute landing to clear the booster. It landed safely while the propulsion module was destroyed upon impact with the ground. There were no injuries among Blue Origin staff.
In an emailed statement, an FAA representative said the anomaly was caused by a “structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher than expected engine operating temperatures.” The 21 corrective actions include redesign of the engine and nozzle components, as well as “organizational changes.”
In response to TechCrunch’s questions about corrective actions, a Blue Origin spokesperson simply said, “We have received the letter from the FAA and plan to fly soon.”
The closure of the investigation into the mishap does not mean that Blue Origin can immediately begin flying New Shepard. The company must implement all corrective actions and first receive a modification to its launch license from the FAA, the FAA spokesperson said.
Accident investigations are conducted by the companies and overseen by the FAA, the agency that issues commercial space licenses and ensures the safety of the public during commercial launch activities.
When Blue Origin published a report about the mishap in March, it simply said it expected to fly “soon.” But that was six months ago, so it’s unclear when New Shepard will be ready to fly next.
