Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Pre-Launch Test

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a pre-launch test this evening. The company said all personnel are safe and accounted for following the “anomaly.”

The company was conducting a static fire test in advance of the planned launch of 48 Amazon Leo satellites next week. Amazon Leo is Amazon’s broadband satellite internet constellation, a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink.

Blue Origin and its founder Jeff Bezos posted statements on X.

We experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more.

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) May 29, 2026

All personnel are accounted for and safe. It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it. Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) May 29, 2026

SpaceflightNow and NASASpaceflight.com posted videos of the explosion.

Blue Origin’s rockets lift off from Launch Complex-36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, part of the U.S. Space Force’s Eastern Range managed by Space Launch Delta 45.  SLD45 posted on Facebook that the anomaly happened at 9:00 pm ET and emergency responders were on the scene. “Range officials, in coordination with Blue Origin and appropriate partners, are currently evaluating available data to determine the exact cause of the anomaly.”

This was to be the fourth launch of the reusable New Glenn rocket. The third launch on April 19 lifted off successfully, but  an engine on the second stage failed and the payload, AST SpaceMobile’s Bluebird 7, did not attain the correct orbit.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is a key component of NASA’s robotic and human exploration plans. It will launch the company’s Blue Moon Mark 1 and Mark 2 lunar landers that will deliver cargo and crew, respectively, to the lunar surface. NASA’s Moon Base announcement earlier this week named the first Blue Moon MK1 lander as “Moon Base 1,” with launch expected later this year. A second MK1 launch is to deliver NASA’s VIPER rover to the Moon next year.

Also next year, the first Blue Moon MK2 is scheduled to launch as part of NASA’s Artemis III earth-orbital test flight where NASA astronauts will practice rendezvous and docking operations with Blue Moon MK2 and SpaceX’s Starship, the two Human Landing Systems in development to ferry crews between lunar orbit and the surface in 2028.

Stay tuned for further information as it becomes available.