A Blue Origin rocket exploded on the launch pad during a test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida.
The intense incident took place on Thursday, May 28. The rocket was intended for the fourth mission of New Glenn, which was supposed to carry 48 satellites for the Internet service of Amazon’s low-Earth orbit “LEO”.
Blue Origin is an American private space technology company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000. It reached orbit in January 2025 with the first launch of the new Glenn rocket before completing its 11th human spaceflight in April 2025 with an all-female crew including Katy Perry and Gayle King.
Earlier this year, the company chose to temporarily suspend space travel to shift its focus to acquiring additional resources to assist with the lunar landing effort. The rocket launch test in May was intended to detonate seven engines in the booster, but the explosion damaged the launch pad and surrounding equipment.
Multiple outlets have reported that it could take months to repair the launcher – the only Blue Origin with New Glenn rockets. Keep scrolling for more information on Blue Origin:
What Is Blue Origin And Who Owns It?
A privately funded aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Bezos. The company focuses on developing reusable rocket engines, suborbital and orbital launch vehicles, lunar rovers and space station infrastructure.
Which Blue Origin Rocket Exploded?
In May 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Blue Origin reported the explosion in post on X, referring to the incident as a “chaos.”
“We encountered a fire during a hot fire test today,” read the post, which confirmed that all personnel were accounted for.
What does Jeff Bezos say about the explosion?
“It’s too early to know the core but we’re already working to find it,” Bezos wrote about X. “It’s a very tough day, but we’re going to rebuild whatever needs to be rebuilt and get back to flying. It’s worth it.”
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have been by each other’s side for years. The couple got engaged in May 2023 while on vacation in Europe. “When he opened the box, I thought I was a little black,” he told Vogue in November 2023. Two years later, Bezos and Sánchez reportedly exchanged vows in June 2025. […]
Who Else Has Spoken About This Explosion?
US Representative Mike Haridopolos confirmed that he spoke with NASA administrator Jared Isaacman about the explosion, adding via X, “I’m very thankful that no injuries were reported and I thank the first responders, engineers, and launch crews who worked so quickly. We are praying for Florida’s Space Coast and all involved. 🇺🇸.”
Isaacman, on the other hand, confirmed with X that NASA is investigating the incident.
“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capabilities is extremely difficult,” he wrote. “We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this confusion, assess the near-term implications, and then get back to launching rockets.”
How Will the Explosion Affect NASA?
Among NASA’s lunar travel plans, the new Glenn rocket was intended to help launch the Blue Moon lander during the 2027 Artemis III mission into low-Earth orbit. It’s unclear what the explosion means for future missions, but Isaacman said he will provide updates on the Artemis and Moon Base programs in the future.
