Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Test Launch
The loss of New Glenn, a heavy-lift rocket slated to carry Amazon satellites and support NASA lunar missions, deals a major setback to Blue Origin's commercial and government launch plans.
Reporting from 1 sources: GIGAZINE.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 28, 2026. No injuries were reported. Founder Jeff Bezos said the company will rebuild and resume flights. The explosion may affect NASA's Artemis and lunar base programs.
The explosion occurred during a static fire test at Launch Complex 36, where the rocket is held down and its engines ignited. Video of the blast, shot in 4K, was posted to YouTube. Bezos wrote on X that all personnel are safe and that the root cause is not yet known. Blue Origin warned that debris may wash ashore and asked the public not to approach it.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency will assess impacts to near-term missions, including the Artemis program and lunar base efforts. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called the event unfortunate, adding that rockets are hard. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the company will resume flight as soon as possible.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.