Watch: Blue Origin rocket explodes on launch pad

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a test on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, but officials said no injuries were reported from the incident.

"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test," the company said in a brief statement posted to X.

It added that "all personnel have been accounted for."

Video from the incident showed smoke emerging from beneath the rocket - which stood 98m tall - before it fully combusted into a massive fireball.

The explosion is the latest setback for the space exploration company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos and the New Glenn rocket is at the heart of the company's space ambitions.

"It's too early to know the root cause, but we're already working to find it," Mr Bezos said on X shortly after the explosion.

"Very rough day, but we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It's worth it," he added.

Elon Musk, who founded Blue Origin rival company SpaceX, called the incident "most unfortunate".

Florida congressman Mike Haridopolos, whose district includes Cape Canaveral, said that he has been in contact with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman regarding the explosion.

"I am grateful there were no reported injuries and thankful for the first responders, engineers, and launch crews who acted quickly," Mr Haridopolos said.

NASA and Blue Origin had been working together to develop a lunar lander for its Artemis moon missions.

Mr Isaacman, for his part, said NASA was aware of the explosion.

"Spaceflight is unforgiving and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult," he wrote on X.

"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," he added.

Last month, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed a mission to deliver a communications satellite into the correct orbit, prompting an investigation.

Although the company successfully reused and recovered a booster for the New Glenn rocket, the uncrewed mission did not deliver the satellite from the company AST SpaceMobile.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in response said it required Blue Origin to conduct a "mishap investigation", which was completed earlier this month.

"The FAA has approved our NG-3 report and corrective measures have been implemented," Blue Origin said on 22 May, explaining that thermal conditions caused one of the rocket's engines to not achieve its full thrust, causing it to miss its target orbit.