Blue Origin rocket explodes during launch pad test in Florida

The incident occurred at around 9:00 p.m. local time at Space Launch Complex 36 during a hot-fire test of the rocket’s engines.

In a statement posted on X, Blue Origin said it had experienced an anomaly during the test and confirmed that all personnel were safe.

The rocket was being prepared for the fourth New Glenn mission, which had been scheduled for June 4. The vehicle was expected to launch 48 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation, a competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink. The satellites were not aboard the rocket at the time of the test.

Company founder Jeff Bezos said it was too early to determine the cause of the explosion, but the company had already begun investigating the incident.

“All personnel are accounted for and safe. 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. It’s worth it,” Bezos wrote on X.

The extent of damage to the launch pad and ground equipment has not yet been disclosed. Space Launch Complex 36 is currently the only launch facility capable of launching New Glenn rockets.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said on X that the agency would work with its partners to investigate the incident and assess its impact on upcoming missions. He added that NASA would provide information on any consequences for the Artemis and Moon Base programs as it becomes available.

The incident could affect future plans of both Blue Origin and NASA. Under NASA’s Artemis program, New Glenn is expected to support future lunar missions, including launches related to Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander.

New Glenn is a heavy-lift reusable launch vehicle standing approximately 98 meters tall and is considered one of Blue Origin’s flagship projects for commercial launches and participation in NASA’s lunar exploration efforts.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Blue Origin had suspended its space tourism flights for at least two years to focus on developing technologies for future lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program.