Jeff Bezos' rocket failure could delay NASA's 2028 moon mission

When a rocket developed by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin failed to deliver a satellite to the appropriate Earth orbit, it marked a major setback — and not only for the companies involved.

The mishap could also impact the United States' plans to return humans to the moon in 2028. 

In mid-April, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket was intended to deliver a satellite into orbit for the company AST SpaceMobile. While the rocket's launch appeared successful and its booster safely landed itself on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean, the mission failed to deliver the satellite to the appropriate orbit, The New York Times reported.  

With the New Glenn rocket slated to play a vital role in NASA's Artemis 3 moon mission, the incident could impact the Artemis timeline. 

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the New Glenn rocket will be grounded until an investigation into the failed mission is complete. 

"It could take them three, four months, or longer," said Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute, as quoted by the Times.

"If it goes longer than that, then that's disappointing, and that starts to impact the Artemis program."

Artemis has already faced years of delays. Originally, the plan was to return people to the moon in 2024. That date has been pushed back to 2028 and could be delayed further, according to Futurism. 

The situation highlighted the challenges NASA faces as it attempts to use rockets and other technology developed by private companies. 

In addition to Blue Origin, the Elon Musk-led SpaceX also has a role to play in Artemis. However, that company also has faced challenges with its largest rocket, the Starship, which has exploded multiple times during attempted launches, per Futurism.

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With the failure of the recent Blue Origin mission, AST SpaceMobile's satellite will be nonoperational, a costly blow to the company. 

The Blue Origin craft failed to reach the appropriate elevation because its engines "didn't produce sufficient thrust to reach our target orbit," explained Dave Limp, Blue Origin's CEO, according to the Times.

The company's ability to determine the source of the problem and correct it could determine when humans next step foot on the moon.

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