The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concluded its investigation into an incident that occurred during a launch of Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle in September 2022. The regulator has outlined 21 corrective actions that Blue Origin must implement before it is allowed to fly New Shepard again. The mishap resulted in an abort during the launch, with the vehicle’s capsule conducting an emergency parachute landing. The FAA attributed the anomaly to a structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher than expected engine operating temperatures. The corrective actions include redesigning engine and nozzle components and making organizational changes.
While Blue Origin has received the FAA’s letter regarding the corrective actions, it still needs to implement them and obtain a launch license modification before resuming flights. The closure of the investigation does not grant immediate permission for New Shepard to fly again. Mishap investigations are carried out by the companies involved but overseen by the FAA, responsible for issuing commercial space licenses and ensuring public safety during commercial launch activities. Blue Origin had previously stated that it expected to fly “soon” when it released a report on the mishap in March 2023, but it remains uncertain when New Shepard will be ready for future flights.
In summary, the FAA has concluded its investigation into the mishap during Blue Origin’s New Shepard launch in September 2022 and has specified 21 corrective actions for Blue Origin to implement before resuming flights. The mishap occurred due to a structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher than expected temperatures. Blue Origin must redesign engine and nozzle components and make organizational changes. Although the investigation is closed, Blue Origin still needs to implement the corrective actions and obtain a launch license modification from the FAA. The company had previously anticipated flying “soon,” but it is unclear when New Shepard will be prepared for future flights.