Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin suffered a blow when its New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday. Blue Origin confirmed the rocket exploded during an engine-firing test being conducted ahead of a satellite launch planned for next week.
The incident shook the nearby homes, and a fireball appeared in the sky. Meanwhile, no one was hurt during the incident, officials at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Bezos also spoke on it, claiming that everyone remains safe. "All personnel are accounted for and safe. 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," Bezos wrote on X.
"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more," Blue Origin wrote on X.
Blue Origin planned to use rocket for NASA moon missions
Meanwhile, Blue Origin had planned to use the New Glenn rocket for the future NASA lunar missions. It was only the third flight of the rocket. The company had been preparing to launch a prototype lunar lander to the Moon on a test mission later this fall. Earlier this week, the space agency also awarded Blue Origin a contract worth several hundred million dollars to deliver a pair of lunar rovers over the next few years as part of the Artemis programme.
"Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said via X. He vowed to provide information on any impacts to the Artemis program, including the moon base that he recently outlined.
Homes in Cape Canaveral shook
Homes in nearby Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach trembled, prompting residents to flood social media with questions about the loud blast. Since Launch Complex 36 is visible from the beach, photos of a massive orange fireball quickly spread online. The rocket had been scheduled to launch next week, carrying internet satellites for Amazon’s LEO constellation into orbit.
Emergency crews stayed at the site for more than an hour following the explosion, though officials assured the public there was no danger from fumes or any other potential hazards.
Space Force authorities also confirmed that the incident would not disrupt upcoming launches from other pads. United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket is still set to lift off on Friday night with another batch of Amazon LEO satellites - the same payload this rocket was meant to carry.
