Technology

Blue Origin rocket explodes during engine test in Florida

Yesterday 13:45

By: Dakir Madiha

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A New Glenn rocket operated by Blue Origin exploded during an engine test Thursday night at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sending a large fireball into the sky and shaking nearby homes. No injuries were reported following the incident, which occurred around 9 p.m. at Launch Complex 36.

Residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported strong vibrations and shared videos of the explosion across social media shortly after the blast. Blue Origin said it had experienced an “anomaly” during the engine firing test and confirmed that an internal investigation had started to determine the cause.

Jeff Bezos later addressed the incident on X, stating that it was too early to identify the root cause but promising that the company would rebuild damaged systems and resume launches. The failed test marks another setback for the heavy lift rocket program, which has faced mounting technical problems in recent months.

The rocket had been preparing for its fourth mission, known as NG-4, after receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to launch as early as June 4. The mission was expected to carry 48 broadband satellites for Amazon’s low Earth orbit internet network, previously known as Project Kuiper. The launch would have represented the first time Blue Origin deployed satellites for Amazon, linking two of Bezos’s largest commercial ventures in a single mission.

Amazon has already secured 12 New Glenn launches from Blue Origin, with options for up to 15 additional missions as part of plans to deploy a constellation of 3,236 satellites. The project is designed to compete with existing satellite internet systems in the growing commercial space communications market.

The explosion adds to existing pressure on the New Glenn program. In April, the rocket’s third mission failed to place a satellite from AST SpaceMobile into its intended orbit after an upper-stage BE-3U engine underperformed. That failure triggered a temporary grounding order and a federal investigation before flight clearance was restored in late May.

Emergency crews remained at the launch site for more than an hour after Thursday’s explosion. Authorities said there was no danger from toxic fumes or other environmental hazards, but the full extent of damage to launch infrastructure remains unclear. The timeline for Blue Origin’s return to flight operations is now uncertain.