Blue Origin achieved a historic step by launching its New Glenn rocket and reusing its first stage for the first time, but the mission was not fully successful after AST SpaceMobile's satellite was placed in a lower-than-planned orbit, rendering it unable to perform its mission of providing direct broadband services to mobile phones.

The rocket launched from Cape Canaveral on April 19, and the first stage named "Never Tell Me The Odds" landed precisely on the drone ship Jacklyn after reigniting its BE-4 engines. This achievement represents a direct challenge to SpaceX's dominance in the commercial heavy-lift launch market.

Despite the reuse success, the orbital error highlights the execution risks facing satellite projects, especially for startups relying on launch service providers. This event is expected to accelerate competition in the orbital infrastructure market valued at over $500 billion.