CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during an engine-firing test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday night, causing a visible orange fireball and shaking homes in nearby areas.
The explosion occurred as part of a scheduled test ahead of a planned satellite launch next week. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and officials assured that there were no hazards from fumes or debris.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, stated via X, “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.”
The New Glenn rocket was grounded earlier this year after a previous flight failed to deliver a satellite to its intended orbit due to engine issues. This test marked only the third flight of the rocket, which is intended to launch NASA landers to the moon, including those that will carry astronauts.
Blue Origin was preparing to launch a prototype lunar lander this fall, following a significant contract awarded by NASA for the Artemis program to deliver moon buggies in the coming years. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman commented, “Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult,” and promised updates on the potential impacts to the Artemis program.
Residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported feeling the tremors from the explosion around 9 p.m., taking to social media to express their concerns. Photos of the fireball quickly circulated online, highlighting the dramatic nature of the incident.
The New Glenn rocket was scheduled to launch next week with internet satellites as part of the Amazon Leo constellation. Despite the explosion, Space Force officials indicated that other upcoming launches would not be affected, including United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, set to launch the same type of satellites on Friday night.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, extended his sympathies to Blue Origin, stating, “Sorry to see this, I hope you recover quickly.”
The New Glenn rocket, towering at 321 feet (98 meters), made its debut in 2025 and is named in honor of John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. The rocket is significantly larger and more powerful than Blue Origin’s New Shepard, which has been used for suborbital tourist flights.