A Blue Origin rocket experienced a malfunction during a test at the launch pad on Thursday night, causing nearby residences to shake and briefly illuminating the sky in orange hues. Blue Origin confirmed that its New Glenn rocket encountered the issue during an engine-firing test conducted in preparation for an upcoming satellite launch. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, as per officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, stated in a social media post, “All personnel are safe and accounted for. While it is too early to determine the exact cause, we are actively investigating. Despite the challenges, we are committed to rectifying any damages and resuming flights.”
The New Glenn rocket had previously faced grounding in April due to an engine failure that resulted in a satellite being placed in an incorrect orbit. This incident occurred during only the third flight of the rocket, which Blue Origin plans to utilize for launching lunar landers for NASA missions, including transporting astronauts to the moon’s surface.
The company was progressing towards launching a prototype lunar lander for a flight test later this year. Recently, NASA awarded Blue Origin a lucrative contract to deploy moon rovers as part of the Artemis program. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the complexities of spaceflight development and assured updates on any potential impacts on the Artemis program’s objectives.
Following the explosion, residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported feeling tremors, with social media platforms buzzing with inquiries. Despite the visible detonation at Launch Complex 36, emergency crews ensured there were no immediate safety threats posed by the incident.
Space Force authorities confirmed that the explosion would not hinder scheduled launches by other companies from different launch pads. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to proceed with its Atlas V rocket launch carrying Amazon Leo satellites, similar to the payload intended for the ill-fated New Glenn mission.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, expressed his sympathies to Blue Origin following the incident, highlighting his desire for a swift recovery. The New Glenn rocket, standing at an impressive height of 321 feet (98 meters), debuted in 2025 and is named in honor of John Glenn, the pioneering American astronaut. Distinguished by its size and power, New Glenn surpasses the capabilities of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rockets, which have previously transported tourists to suborbital space flights from Texas.
