Blue Origin rocket explodes on the launchpad during an engine-firing test

Blue Origin rocket explodes on the launchpad during an engine-firing test

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded at Launch Complex 36 during a static hotfire engine test on Thursday night, following the rocket's grounding in April after an engine failure left a satellite in the wrong orbit on its third flight. The incident is a significant setback for Blue Origin's NASA lunar program and raises questions about New Glenn's reliability as a competitor to SpaceX's Falcon 9 in the heavy-lift launch market.