Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes during Florida test ahead of Amazon satellite launch

Wild footage captured from a nearby restaurant shows tonight’s explosion involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36. pic.twitter.com/trGGyKvjpn

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 29, 2026

Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, who is also the owner of e-commerce giant Amazon, said assured that all personnel involved in the test operation were 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,” he said.

The explosion was captured on a livestream by aerospace news outlet NSF, showing a massive plume of fire. Residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach were quoted by The Guardian as saying that their homes shook around 9 PM. Many took to social media, calling the blast a “mini-nuke” explosion.

Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, visible from the beach, soon became the focus of widely shared images showing a bright orange fireball.

Pretty wild blue orgin test…looked like a mini nuke pic.twitter.com/Koc38wAqhZ

— Artemis (@ArtemisThree) May 29, 2026

Emergency officials said there was no danger linked to fumes or any other possible hazards.

Investigation ordered

According to a Bloomberg report, Blue origin’s test was in preparation for the launch of a batch of satellites for Amazon. This would have competed with the Elon Musk-owned Starlink satellite network by SpaceX. The news website quoted an Amazon spokesperson as saying that no satellite was onboard the launch vehicle during the explosion.

The incident marks another challenge for Blue Origin, the space company founded by Amazon creator Jeff Bezos. In April, the Federal Aviation Administration had grounded the New Glenn rocket and reportedly directed the company to investigate an engine-related issue.

The FAA did not immediately comment on whether the latest explosion would lead to a fresh investigation.

The setback comes just days after Nasa selected Blue Origin instead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX to carry out the first of three uncrewed lunar missions planned this year as part of efforts to begin building a $20 billion moon base.

Blue Origin and SpaceX are both vying to supply crew landers for future Artemis missions, including Artemis IV, which is aimed at returning humans to the moon in 2028, reported The Guardian. The two companies have also expanded operations around Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Center with new facilities supporting Nasa’s crewed and cargo programmes.

Musk reacted quickly to the explosion on X, the social media platform he owns. “Most unfortunate,” he wrote. “Rockets are hard.”

Bezos’ company has also drawn attention for its space tourism ventures. In April last year, Blue Origin launched an all-women celebrity crew into space, with television host Gayle King and singer Katy Perry among those on board.