Blue Origin rocket explodes ahead of satellite launch
Blue Origin said all personnel were safe as investigators worked to determine what triggered the anomaly and how much damage the launch pad sustained.
- On Thursday, May 28, 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a planned static-fire test at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, destroying the vehicle and severely damaging the launch pad.
- The 322-foot vehicle detonated while secured to the pad during a hotfire test, a procedure involving engine ignition; Blue Origin confirmed all personnel were accounted for and safe following the anomaly.
- Space Launch Delta 45 warned that hazardous debris could wash ashore over coming days and weeks, advising the public to call 911 if suspected material is found and avoid direct contact.
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated the agency will support a thorough investigation and assess impacts to the Artemis program, calling spaceflight "unforgiving" and development of heavy-lift capability "extraordinarily difficult."
- Delays jeopardize Amazon's requirement to orbit half of its 3,236-satellite constellation by July 30, 2026, complicating Blue Origin's efforts to compete with SpaceX in the broadband internet market.
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Blue Origin rocket explosion rattles Jeff Bezos’s firm, Amazon and NASA
Blue Origin experienced a fiery setback Thursday when its New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Kent, Washington-based company, started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, was testing its rocket before its next planned launch, which…
Blue Origin's Hot Fire Took the Launch Pad With It
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket experienced an anomaly during a ground test known as a hot fire on Thursday, the company shared on X. No one was injured. This New Glenn rocket explosion released 20% of the energy of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The LC-36 is the only pad on Earth that launches New Glenn, and now it’s also gone. It cost over $1 billion to build. SpaceX needed 7 months to rebuild after a similar hit. Amazon has a deadline on a contrac…
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