A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a static-fire test on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, triggering a massive fireball that completely destroyed the vehicle.
The incident occurred at the Kennedy Space Center during a ground rehearsal, with no crew on board, and was captured in live broadcasts and images from nearby witnesses. Despite the intensity of the explosion, no injuries were reported.
Local authorities confirmed there was no immediate risk to the public, and the company said all employees were safe at the time of the incident. NASA classified the event as an “anomaly” and said it had already launched an investigation to determine the cause.
“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing a new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult. We will work with our partners to support a full investigation into this anomaly, assess the near-term mission impacts and return to launching rockets,” said Jared Isaacman, head of NASA.
The New Glenn is one of the main heavy-lift rockets from Jeff Bezos’ company, designed for orbital missions and future operations in NASA’s lunar program, including participation in initiatives linked to the Artemis mission. The system had been under development for years as part of the company’s strategy to compete in the heavy-launch market dominated by SpaceX.
The incident represents another significant delay for the Blue Origin program, which was already facing technical challenges and postponed schedules. The company stressed that it will continue working on the vehicle’s development despite the setback.
“It is too early to know the root cause, but we are already working to find it. A very difficult day, but we will rebuild what needs to be rebuilt and return to flying. It is worth it,” Bezos wrote on his official X profile.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn just blew up at LC-36 while attempting to Static Fire ahead of NG-4.https://t.co/tANS0dWyIH pic.twitter.com/PztxFoBqIw
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) May 29, 2026
Photo and video: X @NASASpaceflight | Dave Limp X @davill. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
