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Blue Origin rocket explodes during Florida engine test
By Aurax Desk | May 29, 2026 | 2 min read
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded in a massive fireball during an engine-firing test at Cape Canaveral, marking a major setback for Jeff Bezos’ space company as it seeks to compete with SpaceX in the commercial launch market. No injuries were reported after the late-night blast, which occurred during prelaunch testing ahead of a planned satellite mission.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket was being prepared for a future satellite launch before the explosion.
The explosion happened Thursday night at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral during what Blue Origin described as a “hotfire test” of the company’s heavy-lift New Glenn rocket. Video footage showed the rocket igniting briefly before erupting into flames that lit up the surrounding area and sent smoke high above the launch site. Company officials later confirmed that all personnel were accounted for and no immediate public hazards were detected.
The uncrewed rocket was being prepared for a future mission expected to carry dozens of Amazon broadband satellites into orbit as part of the company’s growing space infrastructure ambitions. The New Glenn program has faced mounting pressure after earlier technical problems delayed launches and caused one previous mission to place a payload into the wrong orbit. The latest explosion is likely to trigger another investigation and further delays to Blue Origin’s launch schedule.
Founded by Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin has positioned New Glenn as a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and Starship systems, with planned roles in commercial satellite launches, NASA lunar missions and future deep-space operations. The rocket is central to several U.S. government and private-sector contracts tied to the expanding space economy and NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program.
The incident comes days after SpaceX conducted another high-profile Starship test, underscoring the increasingly competitive race among private aerospace companies developing next-generation launch systems. Aerospace analysts note that while rocket failures during development are not uncommon, the destruction of a launch vehicle on the pad represents a costly setback for Blue Origin’s long-delayed heavy-launch program.
Blue Origin said an investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway and pledged to continue development of the New Glenn system despite the setback. Jeff Bezos later acknowledged the failure publicly, saying the company would rebuild and resume flight operations after determining the cause of the anomaly.