American billionaire Jeff Bezos’s space company Blue Origin faced a major setback on Thursday when its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a test on the launch pad.
The incident is being described as a significant blow to the company’s efforts to compete with SpaceX and expand its role in space missions.
The explosion occurred in Florida during a hot-fire test, a procedure in which rocket engines are fired while the vehicle remains secured on the ground to evaluate performance before flight.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn just blew up at LC-36 while attempting to Static Fire ahead of NG-4.https://t.co/tANS0dWyIH pic.twitter.com/PztxFoBqIw
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) May 29, 2026
According to reports, the rocket caught fire around 9 p.m. local time and was quickly engulfed in flames, sending thick smoke into the sky.
Footage broadcast by the NASA Space Flight YouTube channel showed the dramatic moment the rocket turned into a fireball on the launch pad. Blue Origin later confirmed on X that it experienced an “anomaly” during the test and said all personnel were 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.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) May 29, 2026
Bezos described the incident as a “very tough day,” adding that it was too early to determine the exact cause but reaffirmed the company’s commitment to rebuilding and flying again.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also reacted, calling spaceflight a highly complex and challenging process, especially for new heavy-lift rockets.
