A massive explosion destroyed one of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets during a pre-launch test at Cape Canaveral, sending a fireball into the sky that could be seen and felt miles away.
The Kent-based aerospace company said no one was hurt.
The explosion happened as engineers were testing the methane-fueled first-stage engines ahead of a planned launch. Blue Origin had been preparing to send a batch of 48 Amazon “LEO” internet satellites into orbit.
Video from miles away from the scene captured the moment of the blast, with bystanders reacting.
“That is crazy… Boom. And there’s the shockwave,” one witness said.
The explosion appears to have destroyed the rocket and likely caused significant damage to the launch pad — Blue Origin’s only pad for New Glenn.
Jeff Bezos addressed the incident in a post on X, saying: “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.”
Industry experts say the explosion could have far-reaching impacts.
“This is going to be a setback for sure for Blue Origin’s plans and for NASA’s plans potentially because Blue Origin is a key partner in the next set of Artemis missions, which are ultimately designed to get our crew down to the surface of the moon,” said Laurie Leshin, former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The setback comes just days after NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the agency would use Blue Origin’s Endurance lander to deliver payloads as part of the Artemis program.
Following the explosion, Isaacman posted on X: “Spaceflight is unforgiving… We will provide information on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs as it becomes available.”
The incident also raises logistical concerns. The Federal Aviation Administration must investigate what went wrong, a process that typically locks down the launch site.
“So, that will start right away and what that means is that launch site is going to be locked down for a while,” Leshin said.
The last time a rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral was in 2016, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 was destroyed. In that case, the launch pad was out of commission for a year, forcing SpaceX to rely on other sites.
Blue Origin does not have that same flexibility.
With only one launch pad for New Glenn, the damage could delay upcoming missions — including commercial satellite launches and future lunar operations tied to NASA’s Artemis program.
Blue Origin posted on X, saying “Debris from our recent hotfire anomaly may wash ashore in the coming days/weeks. If you encounter any debris, do not touch or approach it for your safety. Please report the location immediately: Call: 1-321-222-4355 Email: MissionRecovery@blueorigin.com.”
CNN and CBS News contributed to this article.
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