WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Blue Origin's long-delayed New Glenn program has suffered a dramatic setback. A rocket being prepared for what would have been the vehicle's fourth flight exploded during a hotfire test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station yesterday, destroying the vehicle in a massive fireball that lit up Florida's Space Coast.
The test took place at Launch Complex 36 at about 9 pm ET. Static fire tests verify engines and ground systems while the rocket remains clamped to the pad – it's usually one of the final checks before launch. In this case, livestream footage showed the vehicle beginning to fire before flames spread around the base and New Glenn disappeared inside an explosion.
Blue Origin described the incident as an "anomaly," adding that everyone was safe.
"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test. We will provide updates as we learn more."
Jeff Bezos later posted that all personnel were accounted for and safe, adding:
