Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded into a fireball during a hot fire test on May 28 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The 320-foot vessel was undergoing an engine test at 9 p.m. local time when it erupted, destroying the rocket and severely damaging the launch pad. No personnel were injured, and all are accounted for. The rocket was expected to launch 48 satellites for Amazon's Leo broadband network as early as next month. Blue Origin warned that debris may wash ashore in the coming days and advised the public not to touch it. The incident occurred three days after NASA awarded Blue Origin $188 million to deliver rovers to the moon.
blue origin's new glenn rocket went up in flames during a static fire test at cape canaveral on may 28. the whole thing is toast, launch pad included. no one got hurt, but debris might wash up on the beach. this was supposed to launch amazon satellites next month. also nasa just gave them $188 million three days ago.
The explosion is a major setback for Blue Origin, which has struggled with New Glenn's development, including a grounding in April after its third flight failed. The incident also threatens Amazon's satellite internet timeline and raises questions about the company's ability to deliver on its NASA contract. The public response from both Bezos and SpaceX's Elon Musk highlights the high-stakes, high-visibility nature of the commercial space race.
this is a huge L for blue origin right after a big nasa win. new glenn has been a problem child, and now amazon's internet satellites are delayed. the space race is brutal, and even bezos saying 'we'll rebuild' can't hide the fact that this is a massive setback.
Public story text does not change until an admin approves it.
Looped stories are not disposable posts: receipts, claims, reader checks, and moderator decisions can change the approved version over time.