Blue Origin explosion is a major setback for NASA’s Moon plans and Amazon’s Starlink competitor

Source: The Verge

[Image: New Glenn rocket explodes at Launch Complex 36 on Thursday night in Florida. (Spaceflight Now)]

The spectacular explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket during a hot‑fire test is already being seen as a major setback for NASA’s Moon‑base plans and Amazon’s fledgling LEO space‑internet constellation.

The incident occurred at about 9 p.m. on Thursday at Blue Origin’s Florida launch site (Launch Complex 36). During the test, all seven engines of the booster stage were ignited while the 322‑foot‑tall vehicle remained secured to the pad. The resulting explosion and fireball severely damaged the only launchpad Blue Origin has for New Glenn.

Read the full story at The Verge.