A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral on the evening of May 28, producing a fireball large enough to be seen across wide stretches of Florida. No one was injured, but the 320-foot rocket, the launchpad, and surrounding infrastructure were not so lucky.
The explosion occurred around 9:00 p.m. EDT at Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The blast was severe enough to collapse a nearby lightning tower, and Blue Origin described the incident as an “unexpected anomaly.” All company personnel were accounted for following the event.
What happened, and what was at stake
The test was a precursor to an upcoming launch for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, the company’s ambitious plan to deploy large constellations of broadband internet satellites. No satellites were aboard the rocket during the test, which limits the immediate financial damage from lost hardware.
The company completed New Glenn’s first successful orbital flight just in January 2025, a milestone that took years longer than originally planned.
