A rocket operated by Blue Origin experienced an anomaly and exploded on its launch pad in Florida during a hotfire test. Footage captured the incident, showing the rocket erupting into a large fireball that engulfed the surrounding area.
In a statement shared on social media, Blue Origin said it had "experienced an anomaly" during the test. The company also affirmed that all personnel involved have been accounted for and are safe. The space technology firm, founded in 2000 by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, experienced the explosion around 9:00 PM local time (2:00 AM GMT) at Cape Canaveral.
Brevard County Emergency Management reported that there is no threat to the public. Jeff Bezos commented on social media, acknowledging the difficult day but expressing determination to rebuild and resume flights, stating, "It's too early to know the root cause but we're already working to find it." He added, "Very rough day, but we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It's worth it."
The US Space Force said emergency responders are on the scene. Officials are collaborating with Blue Origin to analyze available data to pinpoint the exact cause of the anomaly. This test was conducted in preparation for an upcoming launch.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman remarked on X, "Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult. We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this anomaly, assess near-term mission impacts, and get back to launching rockets."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is aware of the incident. The agency clarified that this test was not part of its licensed activities and had no impact on air traffic.
This event follows a recent grounding of Blue Origin's newest rocket last month. The FAA had ordered an investigation into a "mishap" related to a failed satellite launch. The company had attempted to deploy a satellite for AST SpaceMobile with its New Glenn rocket, but it did not reach its intended orbit.
Last November, Blue Origin successfully launched a New Glenn rocket from Florida and achieved its first successful landing of a reusable booster.
