Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes on launchpad in Florida

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Test in Florida

A test of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket ended in disaster on Thursday evening when the vehicle exploded on the launchpad in Florida. The incident occurred during a hot-fire test, where a rocket engine is fired up while anchored to the ground.

Footage of the event shows smoke emerging from underneath the rocket before it erupts into a massive fireball that billows skyward, sending a towering plume of flames and smoke into the air. Emergency crews remained at the scene for over an hour, but officials confirmed there was no threat from fumes or other potential hazards.

No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident. Blue Origin released a statement saying “we experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test” and that all personnel had been accounted for. The company added that it would rebuild whatever needed to be rebuilt and return to flight operations.

US House Representative Mike Haridopolos has confirmed he is in contact with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman regarding the explosion. In a statement, Haridopolos expressed gratitude that no injuries were reported and thanked first responders, engineers, and launch crews for their actions.

The incident marks another setback for Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket program, which aims to launch 48 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit as part of a broadband constellation effort. The company had previously experienced a failure in a mission to deliver a communications satellite into the correct orbit last month.

Source: Al Jazeera