CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded Thursday night during a planned hotfire test at Launch Complex 36, sending a large fireball into the sky and shaking homes along Florida’s Space Coast. The company confirmed the incident as an anomaly and reported that all personnel were accounted for with no injuries.
The explosion occurred at approximately 9 p.m. Eastern Time as the rocket’s engines were ignited for a static fire test, a procedure in which the vehicle remains secured to the launch pad while engines fire at full thrust. Residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported seeing an orange glow and feeling vibrations from the blast.
Space Launch Delta 45 confirmed the anomaly and stated that emergency responders quickly secured the area. Officials emphasized that there was no threat to the public, and Brevard County Emergency Management issued a notice confirming the same. The contained fire was allowed to burn out under monitoring by local agencies.
Blue Origin said the test was part of preparations for an upcoming mission that would have carried 48 Amazon broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit. No payload was aboard during the test. The New Glenn rocket, standing more than 300 feet tall, is intended to support commercial satellite launches and future NASA lunar missions.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the anomaly, noting the challenges of developing new heavy‑lift launch systems and stating that the agency will work with partners to assess impacts on future missions. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the test was outside the scope of FAA‑licensed activities and that air traffic was unaffected.
The extent of damage to the launch pad and surrounding infrastructure has not yet been determined. Blue Origin stated it will provide updates as the investigation continues.
—
Sources
- ABC30 News
- FOX 5 Atlanta / FOX 35 Orlando
- WFTV
- NDTV
- Times Now
- Florida Today
- ClickOrlando
- Yahoo News