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Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a hotfire test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday, in the latest setback for Jeff Bezos’s aerospace company. Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported following the incident.
The explosion occurred during a routine pre-launch engine test while the rocket remained secured on the launch pad. Footage shared on social media showed smoke emerging from beneath the 98-meter (321-foot) launch vehicle moments before it erupted into a large fireball.
Blue Origin confirmed the incident in a statement posted on X.
“We experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test,” the company said. “All personnel have been accounted for.”
The company did not immediately provide further details regarding the extent of the damage or the potential impact on upcoming missions.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos later addressed the incident, stating that the company had already begun investigating the cause of the explosion.
“It’s too early to know the root cause, but we’re already working to find it,” Bezos wrote on X. “Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying.”
The New Glenn rocket plays a central role in Blue Origin’s long-term space ambitions, including commercial satellite launches, national security contracts, and future lunar missions in partnership with NASA under the Artemis program.
The explosion follows another recent challenge for the company. Last month, a New Glenn mission failed to place a communications satellite into its intended orbit despite the successful recovery and reuse of the rocket booster. The failed mission prompted an investigation by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Earlier this month, Blue Origin announced that the FAA had approved corrective actions related to the previous mishap after engineers identified thermal conditions that prevented one of the rocket’s engines from reaching full thrust.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the latest incident and emphasized the technical challenges involved in developing heavy-lift launch systems.
“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult,” Isaacman wrote on X. “We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation.”
Florida Congressman Mike Haridopolos, whose district includes Cape Canaveral, said he had been in contact with NASA officials following the explosion and praised emergency personnel and engineers for their swift response.
Elon Musk, founder of aerospace company SpaceX, also reacted to the incident, describing the accident as “most unfortunate.”
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
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