A spectacular explosion lit up the Florida sky on May 28: visible for 124 miles (200 km), it came from a test of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. The incident destroyed the launcher and heavily damaged launch pad LC-36 at Cape Canaveral, but no injuries were reported.
This test, intended to prepare for the launch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites, went wrong. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, confirmed the explosion on X. Witnesses filmed the scene from Cocoa Beach, Jetty Park, and even Tampa, on the other side of the state.
Blue Origin launches its first New Glenn rocket from Pad 36 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 16, 2025.
Credit: Blue Origin
According to initial observations, ground damage is significant, as shown by an aerial photo from May 29. Blue Origin and the Air Force are asking the public to report any debris that washes ashore, without touching it, for safety reasons.
The power of the explosion was such that videos taken from a plane over Orlando, 50 miles (80 km) away, clearly show it. A resident of Tampa, 124 miles (200 km) away, shared footage of the fireball. These images recall the power of modern giant rockets.
In response, Blue Origin is setting up a debris hotline and warns that pieces could wash ashore in the coming days.
What is a static fire test?
Before each launch, rockets undergo ground tests to check their systems. A static fire test involves igniting the engines for a few seconds while the rocket remains fixed to the launch pad. This measures thrust, pressure, and booster behavior. For New Glenn, this test was scheduled before sending satellites into low Earth orbit.
These tests are always risky. Engines generate extreme temperatures and pressures. A hardware failure, fuel leak, or command error can cause an explosion. Blue Origin has confirmed that no employees were injured.
Destruction of the launcher and infrastructure is not uncommon in the space industry. SpaceX has experienced several explosions during tests. Each incident provides valuable data to improve safety. Blue Origin is conducting an investigation to determine the root cause, which will allow flights to resume.