It was supposed to be an engine test for a satellite launch next week - until Jeff Bezos' multimillion dollar Blue Origin rocket became a very expensive firework, lighting up the Florida sky.

Blue Origin founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos said it was a ”very rough day” for the company, but it was too early to know the “root cause” of the incident.

The New Glenn rocket experienced an "anomaly", the company said, exploding during a test.

The explosion is likely a major setback for Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company, and its attempt to compete with SpaceX.

The 320-foot rocket was undergoing an engine \

A Blue Origin rocket has exploded during a test at the launch pad

The New Glenn rocket was undergoing a 'hotfire test' at Launch Pad 36 at around 9pm at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida when it burst into flames.

A Blue Origin rocket exploded on the launch tower in a fiery blast during a test of its engines on Thursday night, the company said.

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket owned by billionaire tech giant Jeff Bezos has exploded on a launch pad in a disastrous test in Florida.

A Blue Origin rocket has exploded during a test at the launch pad.

"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…

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin said a rocket exploded during an engine-firing test. No one was hurt, according to officials at Cape Canaveral.

Blue Origin says it has experienced an "anomaly", a term commonly used by rocket companies to describe a launch failure or explosion.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced a significant explosion during a hotfire test in Florida, marking its most serious failure to date. The incident occurred ahead of a…

Jeff Bezos described the uncrewed rocket’s explosion as a “very rough day”. It’s a major setback for his company as it challenges Elon Musk’s dominant SpaceX.

A hot-fire test of the New Glenn rocket went awry, resulting in the rocket exploding into a fireball. However, Blue Origin's owner, Jeff Bezos, vows to find the cause of the…

A dramatic setback hit Jeff Bezos’ space venture and SpaceX rival Blue Origin on May 28 when its New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad during a hot fire test, sending a…

During an early-morning test in Florida, Blue Origin’s giant launcher exploded on the pad; Bezos vowed to rebuild and fly again, while Musk also weighed in

Bezos' company Blue Origin called the incident an 'anomaly'

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket dramatically exploded on the launchpad during a test in a setback for Jeff Bezos’ space venture.

Blue Origin's New Glenn mega-rocket exploded during testing at Cape Canaveral, Florida, as confirmed by live streams and the company on Friday, May 29, 2026.