Blue Origin Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test in Florida

By Blessing Nweke

A Blue Origin rocket exploded during a late-night engine test Thursday at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, sending a massive fireball into the sky and shaking nearby homes.

The company confirmed that its New Glenn rocket suffered the explosion while engineers were conducting a static-fire engine test ahead of a planned satellite launch next week. No injuries were reported, and officials said there was no danger to the public from fumes or debris.

Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos acknowledged the incident in a post on X, calling it a “very rough day” while promising the company would recover quickly. “We’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it,” Bezos wrote.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Emergency crews stayed at the launch complex for more than an hour after the blast as safety teams monitored the area.

Residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported hearing and feeling the explosion around 9 p.m. Social media quickly filled with images showing an orange glow above Launch Complex 36, which is visible from nearby beaches.

The setback comes only months after New Glenn experienced engine trouble during an April mission that left a satellite in the wrong orbit. The towering 321-foot rocket made its debut in 2025 and is designed to compete with heavy-lift rockets from companies including SpaceX.

Blue Origin plans to use New Glenn for future NASA Artemis moon missions, including lunar landers and moon rover launches. Earlier this week, NASA awarded the company a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars tied to upcoming lunar exploration efforts.

Despite the explosion, Space Force officials said other launches from nearby pads would continue as scheduled.