Loren GrushUpdated May 29, 2026 – 1.49pm, first published at 1.15pmAustin, Florida | An uncrewed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad during a test on Thursday (Friday AEST), in a setback for Jeff Bezos’ space venture as it seeks to narrow the gap with Elon Musk’s IPO bound SpaceX.Video posted by NASASpaceflight, a YouTube channel thatlivestreams launches from Florida, showed the New Glenn igniting on the pad before erupting into a massive fireball that billowed skyward, sending a towering plume of flames and smoke into the air.Bloomberg and ReutersSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Blue Origin’s rocket explodes in fireball on launchpad
Jeff Bezos described the uncrewed rocket’s explosion as a “very rough day”. It’s a major setback for his company as it challenges Elon Musk’s dominant SpaceX.
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