Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday, according to US media reports, marking another setback for the space company founded by Jeff Bezos.
Explosion Details
Videos from the site showed smoke billowing from beneath the rocket moments before it erupted into a massive fireball. Emergency officials later said there was no threat to the public from fumes or other hazards.
Jeff Bezos Says All Personnel Safe
In a post on X, Bezos said all personnel had been accounted for and confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the explosion was underway. "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.
Another Setback for New Glenn Programme
The explosion comes just a month after New Glenn failed to place a communications satellite into its intended orbit, triggering a separate investigation. The latest launch was only the third flight of the heavy-lift rocket, which Blue Origin plans to use for future NASA lunar missions. New Glenn, named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, made its debut in 2025 from Cape Canaveral.
NASA Selects Blue Origin for Future Moon Missions
The incident comes days after NASA selected Blue Origin over SpaceX for the first of three uncrewed lunar missions. Blue Origin and SpaceX are both currently competing to provide crew landers for future Artemis missions, including the planned return of astronauts to the moon in 2028 under Artemis IV.
