Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket suffered a major failure during a ground test on Thursday, producing a large explosion at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, according to the company and officials.
WATCH: A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a routine ground engine test at Cape Canaveral on Thursday night. The explosion occurred while the rocket was on the launch pad, but no one was injured and all personnel were reported safe.pic.twitter.com/lfWxTsGV4Q
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 29, 2026
The incident occurred during a “hotfire” static engine test, a routine procedure in which rocket engines are ignited while the vehicle remains secured on the launch pad. Video from the site showed a fireball erupting over Launch Complex 36, confirming that the vehicle was heavily damaged in the blast. Blue Origin later said that all personnel were safe and accounted for.
Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, addressed the incident on social media, stating, “All personnel are accounted for and safe. 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.”
