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Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin New Glenn rocket has exploded during a test in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday, creating a huge fireball and thick smoke in the sky.
Videos from the scene showed the giant rocket bursting into flames as people watching the launch reacted in shock. According to AFP, Blue Origin later confirmed the incident, saying the rocket experienced an “anomaly” during testing. The company stated that all workers and personnel were safe and accounted for.
Jeff Bezos described it as a difficult moment for the company but said the team will continue working on the project.
“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,” Bezos wrote in a post on X.
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
The New Glenn rocket is central to Blue Origin’s plans to compete with SpaceX, the space company owned by Elon Musk. Musk reacted to the explosion by calling the accident “most unfortunate.” The failed test comes only weeks after another New Glenn mission failed to place a communications satellite into the correct orbit.
Following that incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration ordered an investigation before approving corrective measures earlier this month.
NASA officials also responded to the latest explosion, noting that space missions remain extremely difficult.
“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
Blue Origin and NASA are currently working together on future moon mission projects under the Artemis programme.
