Blue Origin Rocket Explodes in Fiery Setback | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsMerchSearchSearchMarta MussoScienceMay 29, 2026 9:22 AMBlue Origin Rocket Explodes in Fiery SetbackThe detonation of the New Glenn rocket resulted in a huge fireball in Florida, and may have long-term implications for the company's ambitions.The explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket on May 28.Photograph: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyBlue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on Thursday night during a hotfire test on the launch pad, lighting up the skies around the launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida. In a post on X, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos said that all personnel had been accounted for.“It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it,” Bezos wrote. “Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.”What Is a Hotfire Test?The test during which Blue Origin’s rocket—a vehicle that, at 98 meters tall, is one of the largest ever built—exploded is known as a hotfire test, or static fire test. Essentially, it is a standard procedure carried out on the engines of a rocket, spacecraft, or prototype, in which the engines are ignited for a very short period of time and then shut down while the vehicle remains secured to the launch pad. The purpose of this test is to verify that the systems are functioning correctly before an actual launch.Blue Origin's RocketThis would have been the fourth mission of the New Glenn rocket, which was slated to carry 48 satellites, destined to become part of Amazon Leo's satellite Internet network, as soon as next week. "NASA is aware of the anomaly that occurred tonight at Launch Complex 36 involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station," said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman in a post 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.”Isaacman further said that NASA would provide updates on any potential impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base missions when they were available; the agency has contracted with both Blue Origin and SpaceX for various aspects of its plans for a lunar return.This explosion represents the latest setback for Bezos's company. On April 19, a failure occurred during the rocket's third flight that prompted a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation. During that mission, the rocket's first stage had successfully landed on a floating platform, but the upper, or second stage, had failed to carry its payload—AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite— into a safe orbit. 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The detonation of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket during a hotfire test on May 28th resulted in a significant fireball in Florida, raising potential long-term implications for the company's space ambitions. This event occurred during a hotfire test, a standard procedure where rocket engines are ignited for a brief period to verify system functionality before an actual launch, ensuring that all systems are functioning correctly. Following the explosion, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos indicated that all personnel were accounted for and that the team was actively working to determine the root cause, emphasizing a commitment to rebuilding and continuing flight operations.

The New Glenn rocket in question was intended for a mission carrying forty-eight satellites for the Amazon Leo satellite internet network. This incident followed a previous failure on April 19th during a different flight, which had already prompted an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the failure of the rocket's second stage to carry its payload into a safe orbit. This preceding investigation concluded on May 22nd.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the anomaly involving the New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 and stated that spaceflight is inherently unforgiving, noting the extraordinary difficulty in developing new heavy-lift launch capabilities. NASA confirmed that it would collaborate with its partners to investigate the anomaly, assess any near-term mission impacts, and resume rocket launches. Furthermore, NASA committed to providing updates regarding any potential effects on the Artemis and Moon Base missions, as the agency has contracts with both Blue Origin and SpaceX related to lunar return plans.