Blue Origin seeks cause of New Glenn test explosion and plans return to flight
Blue Origin said it is still investigating the May 28 New Glenn rocket explosion and intends to rebuild its launch infrastructure to resume flights later this year.
Blue Origin announced that it continues to analyse the May 28 test failure of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket. CEO Dave Limp wrote on the company’s website that investigators are reviewing extensive video and sensor data, with early analysis indicating damage to the aft section of the first stage. The firm said it is working to identify and correct the root cause before the vehicle returns to service.
The explosion occurred during a routine test of the rocket’s fourth planned flight; no personnel were injured. The blast destroyed a lightning tower, the transporter-erector that moves the vehicle to the pad, and caused damage to nearby structures, though the on-site water tower, gas tanks and integration facility remained intact.
Limp noted that Blue Origin will replace the transporter-erector with a large crane to raise New Glenn on its Cape Canaveral launch complex, a change he said could shorten turnaround times and increase launch frequency. The company also plans to rebuild the damaged launchpad to support future missions.
Blue Origin aims to resume New Glenn flights later this year after completing the investigation and infrastructure repairs.
