Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes on its launchpad

Source: Engadget

Blue Origin

Incident Overview

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has exploded on its launchpad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while the company was conducting ground tests for an upcoming launch. The company explained that it “experienced an anomaly” during a hot‑fire test and will provide more details when available. On X, owner Jeff Bezos said all personnel are safe and accounted for. Blue Origin has begun investigating, but the root cause of the explosion is still unknown.

“Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying,” Bezos added.

The footage shows the rocket, its structure, and surrounding equipment largely obliterated. As The New York Times reports, this is Blue Origin’s only launchpad for New Glenn, and repairs could take several months.

Impact on NASA Programs

The incident could affect Blue Origin’s participation in NASA’s Artemis and Moon Base programs, where it is expected to provide a commercial lunar lander for cargo and crew. NASA selected Blue Origin for the Moon Base I mission, slated for launch this fall. With the launchpad out of commission, NASA may need to reassess its plans.

“NASA is aware of the anomaly that occurred tonight at Launch Complex 36 involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman wrote on X. “Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy‑lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult. We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this anomaly, assess near‑term mission impacts, and get back to launching rockets. We will provide information on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs as it becomes available.”

FAA Clearance and History

Blue Origin recently received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch New Glenn again after a previous grounding. The FAA had grounded New Glenn following a failure to place its payload into orbit on the third mission, attributing the incident to a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line and caused a thrust anomaly during the second‑stage engine burn. The new clearance allowed the company to resume preparations for its next mission, which will now be delayed pending the investigation and repairs.