In Cape Canaveral, Florida, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin reported that a recent rocket explosion left fuel tanks and some other vital components on the launch pad unharmed. The company’s large New Glenn rocket, crucial for NASA’s Artemis moon program, exploded during an engine-firing test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Both a lightning tower and the equipment used for moving and positioning the rocket were destroyed in the incident, causing wide-reaching shock waves.
According to CEO Dave Limp, methane, hydrogen, and oxygen tanks remain undamaged. The water tank is intact, and the support tower that remains standing can be repaired on-site. Fortunately, a booster and other parts of the rocket located nearby were unaffected. Limp described these outcomes as “a bit of good news” in a statement on X, noting, “We will fly again before the end of this year.” The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Just two days prior to the explosion, NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars, selecting New Glenn rockets for launching two rovers to the moon ahead of the first Artemis moonwalkers. These rockets are also planned for launching the company’s Blue Moon lander to carry astronauts to the lunar surface in the future.
NASA aims for a moon landing by astronauts as soon as 2028, marking the first since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed commitment to restoring the pad quickly while advancing the lander project, stating this via X.
The New Glenn series of reusable rockets, named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, has launched only three times. These rockets are smaller compared to SpaceX’s Starship, which is conducting test flights in space from Texas. NASA has contracted both Starships and Blue Moon landers for the Artemis missions to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
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