According to reports, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a “hot test” at Cape Canaveral, Florida, around 9 p.m. ET on Thursday. Thick smoke billows over Launch Site 36.
The 320-foot-long giant rocket is expected to soon deploy 48 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.
NASA Administrator Isaac Mann said they were aware of an unusual situation that occurred during the launch of Complex-36 involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, adding that an investigation would be conducted to support an assessment of the near-term impact.
“NASA will provide information as it becomes available regarding any implications for Artemis and the Moon Base program,” the administrator said on X.
What happened during the New Glenn test?
The explosion occurred as Blue Origin was conducting a static fire test of its New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral.
To evaluate the propulsion system before an actual launch attempt, engineers conduct static fire tests, igniting the rocket engines while the spacecraft is still attached to the launch pad.
Blue Origin confirmed the incident in a statement posted on
Static fire testing involves igniting the rocket motor while the rocket is secured to the launch pad, allowing engineers to evaluate the propulsion system before an actual launch attempt.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos provided X with the latest news on the explosion. “It’s too early to know the root cause, but we are already working hard to find it,” he wrote.
He later said all personnel were accounted for and safe. “It’s too early to know the root cause, but we are already working hard to find it. A very difficult day, but we will rebuild everything that needs to be rebuilt and get back flying. It will be worth it,” he said.
Although Blue Origin has produced several New Glenn rockets, its ability to launch more rockets may be hampered by potential damage to its Florida launch pad. Space journalist Eric Berger wrote: “This will likely push Blue Origin out of the Artemis program entirely within the next 12 months. All these moon base missions, man, that sucks.”
Elon Musk tackles growing competition in private space
Elon Musk, whose company still dominates the commercial launch market, was one of the space industry leaders in responding to the disaster.
Musk responded to reports of the explosion wrote On X, “The most unfortunate thing is. Rockets are hard.”
Meanwhile, Musk himself plans to launch his Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Friday, May 29, which will put more Starlink broadband satellites into orbit. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is also scheduled to take off from the same city about twelve hours later.
Blue Origin’s attempt to establish itself as a legitimate competitor to Elon Musk’s rocket company depends largely on New Glenn. The rocket is critical to Blue Origin’s participation in NASA’s Artemis lunar mission, as well as missions from SpaceX and other companies.
“A very difficult day, but we will rebuild everything that needs to be rebuilt and get back to flying. It will be worth it,” Bezos wrote.
