Overview
- The New Glenn blew up during a static hot-fire test at Cape Canaveral, producing a large fireball that shook nearby homes and damaged launch-site hardware.
- Blue Origin said all personnel were accounted for and that no Amazon Leo satellites were on the vehicle during the Thursday night anomaly.
- U.S. Space Force emergency teams responded to the launch complex and the FAA said it is monitoring the incident while Blue Origin begins an internal investigation.
- The accident follows an April upper-stage failure that prompted an FAA probe and came after regulators had reportedly cleared New Glenn for a return to flight.
- The loss increases uncertainty for Blue Origin’s commercial schedule, could delay Amazon’s planned low-orbit launches, and raises fresh questions about New Glenn’s technical reliability as the company repairs the pad.