A rocket belonging to Blue Origin erupted in flames during an engine test late Thursday at a launch facility near Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, raising concerns ahead of a scheduled satellite mission.
The aerospace company disclosed that the explosion involved its New Glenn rocket while the vehicle was carrying out a routine pre-launch static fire test in preparation for next week’s planned launch.
Authorities confirmed that no casualties or injuries were recorded in the aftermath of the blast.
Reacting to the incident on X, Jeff Bezos stated: “It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it.”
“Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it,” he added.
The New Glenn rocket had previously encountered setbacks in April when an engine malfunction during an earlier mission caused a satellite payload to enter an incorrect orbit, leading to the rocket being temporarily grounded.
The heavy-lift rocket is considered an important part of upcoming NASA lunar exploration projects and had also been slated to deploy internet satellites tied to Amazon’s low-Earth orbit broadband initiative.
Emergency response crews stayed at the launch site for more than an hour following the explosion, while officials assured nearby communities that there was no public safety threat from debris or hazardous fumes.
