Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Test at Cape Canaveral
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a hotfire test at Cape Canaveral, but no injuries were reported. The incident occurred at 9 p.m. on Thursday as the rocket underwent a static fire test.
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket experienced an explosion during a hotfire test at Space Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral on Thursday night at 9 p.m. A spokesperson from the U.S. Space Force confirmed the incident, which lit up the evening sky. Blue Origin acknowledged the anomaly on social media, stating that all personnel have been accounted for and that further updates will follow as investigations commence.
Preliminary reports from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office indicated there were no injuries, despite at least 40 calls made to 911 from locals who described the explosion as similar to an atomic bomb going off. The rocket had been transported to Cape Canaveral ahead of the upcoming Leo New Glenn 1 launch.
According to space expert Ken Kremer, the test involved loading propellant into the rocket to ignite the engines for a short period while the rocket remained on the pad to ensure operational readiness for an impending launch. Congressman Mike Haridopolos expressed relief that no one was harmed and mentioned discussions with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman about the situation. Meanwhile, debris from the explosion is expected to wash ashore in upcoming days and weeks, raising safety concerns for the public.
