Blue Origin rocket explodes during test, setback for bid to catch SpaceX

LOS ANGELES - A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket dramatically exploded on the launchpad during a test on May 28, in a setback for Mr Jeff Bezos’ space venture as it seeks to narrow the gap with Mr Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Video posted by NASASpaceflight, a YouTube channel that livestreams launches from Florida, showed the New Glenn igniting on the pad at about 2100 ET (9am Singapore time on May 29) before erupting into a massive fireball that billowed skyward, sending a towering plume of flames and smoke into the air.

Blue Origin said it had experienced an “anomaly”, a term commonly used by rocket companies to describe a launch failure or explosion.

“We experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more,” the company said in a post on X.

A hot-fire test is where a rocket engine is fired up while anchored to the ground.

In a separate X post, Mr Bezos said it was “too early to know the root cause” of the incident.

“Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it,” he said.

Blue Origin said on May 27 it was preparing the New Glenn rocket to launch 48 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit, part of efforts to build a broadband constellation to rival Mr Musk’s Starlink network.

It did not provide a launch date.

Blue Origin has spent billions of dollars and roughly a decade developing New Glenn, a rocket 29-stories high with a reusable first stage meant to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon fleet and its more powerful Starship.

Mr Musk responded on X to a video of the New Glenn explosion, saying: “Most unfortunate. Rockets are hard.”

The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. REUTERS