Florida, 29 May 2026
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad during a test in Florida on Thursday, in a major setback for Jeff Bezos' space venture.
The explosion occurred during a hotfire test, which is a routine test of the rocket's engines.
According to Blue Origin, the test was intended to ignite the rocket's engines while keeping it on the launch pad.
Background
However, something went wrong, and the rocket erupted into a massive fireball, sending a towering plume of flames and smoke into the air.
The incident is a significant setback for Blue Origin, which is competing with Elon Musk's SpaceX in the commercial space industry.
Blue Origin has announced that it will provide updates as more information becomes available.
