Blue Origin's colossal New Glenn rocket detonates in a fiery spectacle during testing.

      Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the night of May 28, 2026.

      The explosion was streamed live by NASASpaceflight.com, and video of the incident quickly circulated on X. The Space Launch Complex 45 officially confirmed in a statement shared by Spaceflight Now on X that all staff members are safe and accounted for, with no injuries or fatalities reported.

      What transpired and what do we know?

      Blue Origin was performing a hot-fire test in preparation for what was anticipated to be the rocket’s fourth launch, potentially scheduled for June 4, 2026, as reported by Spaceflight Now. For those unfamiliar, this test entails igniting the rocket’s engines while it remains secured to the launchpad, a procedure used to evaluate engine performance and address any issues.

      The Verge reported that the explosion took place around 9 PM local time, involving seven engines in the booster stage. The resulting fireball caused significant damage to the only launchpad currently available for New Glenn.

      Range officials and Blue Origin are investigating the incident to pinpoint the cause of the anomaly. Meanwhile, the Eastern Range remains fully operational and continues to support activities at other launch complexes.

      What are the repercussions?

      According to Ars Technica, the transporter-erector and one of the lightning towers at LC-36A may be irreparably damaged. Senior space editor Eric Berger stated that a New Glenn launch in 2026 is nearly impossible, and a launch during the first half of 2027 would be “heroic” under the current conditions.

      NASA is aware of the anomaly at Launch Complex 36 involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman commented about the challenges of spaceflight and the complexities of developing new heavy-lift launch capabilities.

      Just two days before the explosion, NASA had awarded Blue Origin a $188 million contract, with an extension option worth an additional $280.4 million, for delivering rovers and assisting in constructing a Moon Base on the lunar surface (via Reuters). Furthermore, NASA had announced that the rocket was set to deliver a robotic lunar lander as early as fall 2026 as part of the Artemis program.

      Amazon’s Project Kuiper also depends on New Glenn for upcoming launches. Blue Origin had been planning as many as 12 New Glenn launches in 2026. Following the explosion, the company conveyed on X: “All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more.”

      Elon Musk expressed his support on X: “Sorry to see this, I hope you recover quickly.”

      Jeff Bezos also commented on X: “Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.”

      All personnel are confirmed safe. While it is too early to determine the root cause, investigations are already underway. It is indeed a challenging day, but we are committed to rebuilding and returning to flight—this effort is worthwhile, said Jeff Bezos.

      Blue Origin has invested nearly a decade and considerable resources in developing New Glenn as a competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The rocket successfully completed its first flight in January 2025 and had conducted three launches prior to this incident. While reconstructing the rocket poses one challenge, restoring the launch pad infrastructure presents another.