{"id":3241,"date":"2026-05-29T21:41:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3241"},"modified":"2026-05-29T21:41:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:41:26","slug":"blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-exploded-in-a-huge-fireball-during-a-test-in-florida-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3241","title":{"rendered":"Blue Origin&#8217;s New Glenn rocket exploded in a huge fireball during a test in Florida: What you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">An uncrewed rocket belonging to\u00a0Jeff Bezos\u2019s Blue Origin exploded into a massive fireball Thursday night during a launchpad test.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Videos showed the 322-foot-tall New Glenn rocket igniting on the pad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., at around 9 p.m. local time, before erupting into a bright orange ball of fire, engulfing the surrounding area and shaking nearby homes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Blue Origin confirmed it had experienced an \u201canomaly\u201d during a so-called hot-fire test, which is when a rocket is fired up while remaining anchored to the ground.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Bezos confirmed that all personnel were safe and accounted for.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mb-4\">\n<div class=\"rounded-xl bg-secondary p-5\">\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-2\"><span class=\"text-base font-semibold text-primary\">Trending on Yahoo 100<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"mr-0.5 label-m-emphasized\">See full list<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"rounded-2xl bg-primary p-5\">\n<div class=\"mb-5 flex flex-col gap-4 lg:flex-row\">\n<div>Blue Origin rocket explosion rocks moon mission plans<\/p>\n<div class=\"mb-3 line-clamp-3 text-secondary label-s-regular\">The Cape Canaveral blast halted a weeks-long rally for space stocks and raised new questions about NASA\u2019s Artemis program timing. Jeff Bezos called it a &#8216;very rough day,&#8217; while Elon Musk reminded everyone that &#8216;rockets are hard.&#8217;<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2\">\n<div class=\"whitespace-nowrap text-tertiary\">Florida Today<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-purple-13 group-hover:underline lg:overflow-x-hidden lg:text-ellipsis lg:whitespace-nowrap\">&#8216;It jarred everyone&#8217;: Massive Blue Origin rocket blast wrecks launch complex<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Very rough day, but we&#8217;ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It\u2019s worth it,&#8221; Bezos said in a post on X, adding it was \u201ctoo early to know the root cause\u201d of what happened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Elon Musk, Bezos\u2019s primary rival in the commercial space race, posted on X, \u201cSorry to see this, I hope you recover quickly,\u201c adding it was \u201cmost unfortunate. Rockets are hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Blue Origin was gearing up for the New Glenn rocket\u2019s fourth launch in June to put dozens of Amazon \u201cLeo\u201d internet satellites into Earth\u2019s low orbit \u2014 competing with Musk\u2019s Starlink network. The satellites were not on the rocket at the time of the explosion,\u00a0Reuters\u00a0reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/8GtYl2oX1Z0WuegcXqAPJQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzODtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-05\/2b566b61-6f25-4f43-af5b-420b78a13aa1\" alt=\"Fire during an explosion of the uncrewed Blue Origin&amp;amp;#39;s New Glenn rocket during a test on a launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Thursday.\" width=\"960\" height=\"538\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"9\" data-y-link-id=\"03tdeyc09hw1dx0naar6\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<div>Fire during an explosion of the uncrewed Blue Origin&#8217;s New Glenn rocket on Thursday.<\/div>\n<p>(NASASpaceflight.com\/Handout via Reuters)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Blue Origin\u00a0posted on X\u00a0on Thursday that &#8220;Debris from our recent hotfire anomaly may wash ashore in the coming days\/weeks. If you encounter any debris, do not touch or approach it for your safety. Please report the location immediately: Call: 1-321-222-4355 Email: MissionRecovery@blueorigin.com.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement: \u201cWe will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this anomaly, assess near-term mission impacts, and get back to launching rockets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Space Launch Delta of the U.S. Space Force, which is responsible for all space launch operations from the East Coast, said officials were working with Blue Origin to determine the exact cause of the incident, adding, \u201cThese operations often involve developmental systems and emerging technologies, and the nature of such testing carries inherent risk, including the potential for anomalies.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ZZvcuSnSY9VYHH1x6TuRDQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzODtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-05\/3aadff25-7ac2-4c7a-b99c-f7f5158a027b\" alt=\"The sky lights up as fire and smoke rises during an explosion of the uncrewed Blue Origin&amp;#39;s New Glenn rocket on Thursday.\" width=\"960\" height=\"538\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"11\" data-y-link-id=\"08f6wh214yl3ra06152q\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 line-clamp-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<div>The sky lights up as fire and smoke rises during an explosion of the uncrewed Blue Origin&#8217;s New Glenn rocket on Thursday.<\/div>\n<p>(NASASpaceflight.com\/Handout via REUTERS)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The explosion follows another recent incident affecting Bezos\u2019s rocket. In April, the New Glenn rocket was temporarily grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a failed launch that left a satellite in the wrong orbit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Maggie Lieu, an astrophysicist at the University of Nottingham in the U.K., said the incident was a \u201cmassive setback,\u201d coming a week after the FAA grounding had been lifted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cWe thought it was quite a quick turnover that they were able to go from a grounded rocket to back on the launchpad so quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is huge damage. The whole launch facility has gone, so it\u2019s going to take many, many months to get back on board and then for the FAA to re-clear this, because this is a mishap.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-challenges-is-blue-origin-facing\" class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\" data-jump-link-target=\"\">What challenges is Blue Origin facing?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The explosion is the latest setback for Bezos&#8217;s Blue Origin in the company&#8217;s ongoing space race rivalry with Musk&#8217;s SpaceX.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The billionaires want to dominate commercial space travel, and both Blue Origin and SpaceX have been selected by NASA to eventually land astronauts on the moon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Despite the years-long rivalry, Bezos has recently spoken admiringly of his competitor. &#8220;Great industries are made up of many companies,&#8221; he told\u00a0CNBC\u00a0earlier this month, adding that he admires what SpaceX has achieved.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">SpaceX completed\u00a0165 rocket launches in 2025, more than the rest of the world combined. However, its Starship rocket \u2014 the largest ever built \u2014 has suffered multiple failures, and its latest test ended with a booster crashing into the sea.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/tpBMJG5GTiBh1wKaVsSv7A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU4OTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-05\/f517134a-5b63-472b-980f-cac86d5001bb\" alt=\"Damage at the site of a launchpad after an uncrewed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., May 29, 2026. REUTERS\/Joe Skipper\" width=\"960\" height=\"589\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"15\" data-y-link-id=\"14gpug41yh97k30rxgh0\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<div>Damage at the site of a launchpad after an uncrewed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded.<\/div>\n<p>(Joe Skipper\/Reuters)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Blue Origin\u2019s New Glenn has also had a difficult journey. Two rocket sections were damaged at the company&#8217;s factory in 2024. The rocket&#8217;s first launch in January 2025 reached orbit, but its booster failed to land back on its ship at sea as planned. A second launch later that year went smoothly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But a third flight on April 19 left a commercial satellite stranded in the wrong orbit after a fault in the rocket&#8217;s upper stage, forcing the\u00a0FAA to ground the vehicle\u00a0while it investigated. Blue Origin blamed a bad engine for the issue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Earlier this week, NASA announced it had awarded Blue Origin a $188 million contract for New Glenn to deliver rovers to the moon&#8217;s surface. The contracts are part of NASA&#8217;s broader Artemis program, which aims to\u00a0establish a lunar base, where astronauts can live and work long-term with the ultimate goal of studying the moon and its origins.<\/p>\n<div class=\"max-md:faux-bleed mb-4 bg-accent\/2 pb-5 md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Isaacman said NASA would provide further information on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs as it becomes available.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/EVLOlW4lcnJ8pLGrmETaOQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3NjtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-05\/0c8f2159-312e-45df-8865-a88e2caef8e1\" alt=\"Damage at the site of a launchpad after an uncrewed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., May 29, 2026. \" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><button class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\" data-rapid_p=\"18\" data-y-link-id=\"0slj01j1ckf8sy1oqnxr\" data-v9y=\"1\"><\/button><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div>\n<div>Damage at the site of a launchpad after an uncrewed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded.<\/div>\n<p>(Joe Skipper\/Reuters)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-the-purpose-of-blue-origin\" class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\" data-jump-link-target=\"\">What is the purpose of Blue Origin?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Blue Origin was founded by Bezos in 2000 with the stated aim of reducing the cost of space travel and space tourism, and turning it into an effective business model that eventually can be affordable to people other than the ultra-wealthy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The company achieved major success when it launched an unmanned rocket in 2015, and then hit headlines worldwide when Bezos and his brother took part in the company\u2019s first manned spaceflight in 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In April 2025, Katy Perry and Lauren S\u00e1nchez, Bezos\u2019s fianc\u00e9e at the time, were among a group of six women who took part in Blue Origin&#8217;s 11th and most high-profile tourist spaceflight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The company has designed two flagship rockets, New Shepard and New Glenn, to be reusable, dramatically reducing the cost of each flight because they do not need to be replaced after each flight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An uncrewed rocket belonging to\u00a0Jeff Bezos\u2019s Blue Origin exploded into a massive fireball Thursday night during a 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