A massive explosion that lit up the skies over Florida has dealt a serious blow to Jeff Bezos’ space ambitions and raised fresh questions about whether Blue Origin can meet key NASA deadlines in the race back to the Moon.
Blue Origin’s giant New Glenn rocket exploded late Thursday night during what the company described as a routine engine test at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, according to the BBC.
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The 98 metre rocket had been preparing for a mission that would have launched 48 satellites for Amazon’s Leo broadband network as early as June 4. Instead, the test ended in a dramatic fireball that tore through the company’s launch facility at Space Launch Complex 36.
No injuries were reported.
