Blue Origin’s massive New Glenn rocket exploded during a test in Florida last night. The explosion created a huge fireball at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, videos of which have been going viral all morning.
The explosion occurred during a hotfire test, or a static fire test. This is when the rocket’s engines are fired, all while the vehicle is being held down on the launchpad. These tests are conducted before launch to ensure a rocket is ready to fly. According to Blue Origin, the tests “experienced an anomaly,” or in more obvious terms, something went very wrong.
Thankfully, no one was injured in the explosion. According to Blue Origin, all personnel have been accounted for and are safe. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, says the company is already investigating the explosion and hopes to have an answer soon on what caused the failure.
“It’s too early to know the root cause,” Bezos wrote on social media, adding that the company will rebuild what needs to be rebuilt and get back to flying.
All personnel are accounted for and safe. It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it. Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) May 29, 2026
Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Blew Up During a Florida Test. Here’s What Happens Next.
Unfortunately for Blue Origin, the rocket involved in the explosion was one of the company’s most important vehicles. It was designed to carry large payloads into space and is a major piece of Blue Origin’s future plans. Obviously, the explosion will be a major setback for the company moving forward.
New Glenn was expected to help launch Amazon’s satellite internet network, as well as help support future NASA space missions. NASA had already selected Blue Origin’s lander, Blue Moon, as part of its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon in the near future.
What’s next? Blue Origin will need to determine the cause of the explosion and assess the damage to the launchpad. The investigation must be completed before New Glenn can move forward again.
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