CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A 322-foot Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded in a massive fireball during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the night of May 28, 2026, destroying the vehicle, its transporter-erector system and causing significant structural damage to the company’s only New Glenn launch complex. The incident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. EDT as the rocket’s seven methane-fueled BE-4 first-stage engines began their ignition sequence, engulfing the first stage in flames before the methane and liquid oxygen propellants ignited in an explosion that lit up the night sky and shook nearby homes. No personnel were injured, as the area had been evacuated in advance, and Cape Canaveral officials said the event posed no threat to the general public, though they warned that debris could be hazardous on contact. Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos said the company is working to determine the cause and pledged to rebuild the damaged infrastructure. WASHINGTON — The destruction of Blue Origin’s only New Glenn launch pad has halted all future flights of the heavy-lift rocket and raised fresh concerns about NASA’s Artemis program, which relies in part on New Glenn to support lunar missions later this decade. The failed test came one day after NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a $188 million contract for Blue Origin to help develop a permanent Moon base and shortly after NASA awarded additional New Glenn contracts to deliver lunar terrain vehicles for future Artemis crewed missions. New Glenn was scheduled to fly its fourth mission in early June to launch 48 Amazon “Leo” internet satellites, which were not yet on board and remain intact, and to send the Blue Moon Mark 1 robotic lander to the Moon by the end of 2026. Space policy experts say the latest setback, following earlier New Glenn performance problems, complicates an Artemis timeline that was already under pressure, even as the U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office continue to plan future New Glenn launches in the 2027–2028 timeframe. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.