A Blue Origin booster called "No, It's Necessary" - a nod to a line from the film Interstellar - was wrecked in the incident on Thursday, and the launch pad was "practically destroyed," experts said.

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.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on a Florida launch pad on Thursday, May 29, as it was preparing for its fourth launch next week.

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

May 28 : Jeff Bezos' space firm Blue Origin said on Thursday it experienced an anomaly during a hot-fire test, as visuals on social media showed its New Glenn rocket explode in a…

May 28 : A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket dramatically exploded on the launchpad during a test on Thursday, in a setback for Jeff Bezos’ space venture as it seeks to narrow the gap…

Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, had successfully launched its third New Glenn Rocket last month.

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

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 rocket has exploded during a test at the launch pad.

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 exploded during a test at Cape Canaveral, with no reported threats to safety.

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.

Jeff Bezos’ space venture has taken a major hit as it seeks to narrow the gap with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

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…

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a test on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday, marking another setback for Jeff Bezos’s space company. No…

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.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of the incident, but added that it was outside its scope and did not impact air traffic in the region.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A rocket belonging to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin exploded during a test at the launch pad Thursday night, shaking nearby homes...

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket exploded during a test launch in Florida, marking another setback for the company's space ambitions.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes during test at Kennedy Space Center, causing a setback to Jeff Bezos' space ambitions.