CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Blue Origin is evaluating damage to its launch pad following the explosion of a rocket during a test. The incident, which created a fireball visible from miles away, occurred when the massive New Glenn rocket was fueled in preparation for a satellite launch next week. The 321-foot rocket exploded on Thursday night, causing significant damage to the pad.
Officials have advised the public to avoid any wreckage that may wash ashore and to report it by calling 911. The New Glenn, named in honor of John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, is intended for missions to launch lunar landers as part of NASA’s Artemis program. This program aims to establish a base near the moon’s south pole, with the goal of having the first moonwalkers land as early as 2028. Blue Origin recently received a substantial contract from NASA to support this initiative.
Fortunately, no Amazon Leo satellites were aboard the rocket during the explosion. These satellites are in competition with SpaceX’s Starlink system to deliver internet service to remote areas. Meanwhile, another batch of Amazon Leo satellites was prepared for launch at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
Within 12 hours of the explosion, SpaceX successfully launched additional Starlink satellites into orbit. Elon Musk’s company operates two launch pads in Florida. One is located at the Space Force side, used for the recent Falcon 9 launch, and the other at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. In contrast, Blue Origin has a single pad in Florida. Its New Shepard rockets, used for short tourist and research flights from Texas, are currently on hold as Blue Origin concentrates on the New Glenn and future lunar missions. The investigation into the explosion has paused all these efforts.
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