Blue Origin employees continued to determine the extent of the damage to the company's $1 billion launch site in Florida after the New Glenn rocket exploded during a test last week.
On May 28, around 9:00 PM ET, the 320-foot-tall rocket was on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, where crews were preparing to fire its BE-4 engines during a hot fire test ahead of the rocket's fourth spaceflight. Video from NASASpaceflight.com cameras showed the engines briefly igniting, followed by the rocket being engulfed in flames within seconds.
The explosion left Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) charred, as satellite images from Planet show. The images also show structural damage to the launch pad. The rocket was destroyed in the fire.
Left: Planet satellite imagery showing Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, before Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a test fire on May 29, 2026. Right: Charred areas around Launch Complex 36 after the explosion. Source: Planet Labs PBC
The explosion occurred before the fourth flight of the New Glenn spacecraft, known as NG-4, which was scheduled to launch a batch of Amazon Leo satellites into orbit. There was no payload on board at the time of the accident.
At the time of the explosion, other equipment for the New Glenn rocket, intended for future missions, was also stored at the launch complex.
«"We have partially restored access to Launch Complex 36 and are actively investigating the fire-related anomaly," Blue Origin CEO David Limp wrote on X. "We will begin site cleanup shortly and have a robust recovery plan. A quick inspection of the booster and GS2 in the integration center appears to be in good condition.".
Left: Planet satellite imagery showing Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, before Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a test fire on May 29, 2026. Right: Charred areas around Launch Complex 36 after the explosion. Source: Planet Labs PBC
Despite the massive fireball visible for miles, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos said no one was injured and all workers at the facility were safe.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the launch pad with Bezos last weekend and offered words of encouragement to the staff.
«"There's a lot of work to be done, but that's why people choose a career in aerospace, whether at NASA, Blue Origin, or anywhere else. Talent in this field thrives under pressure and performs at its best when solving the most complex problems," Isaacman said in his statement at X.
Blue Origin is a major contractor in NASA's Artemis program, which plans to help return humans to the Moon in the next few years. Just days before the accident, NASA announced another round of contracts, including one for Blue Origin.
Isaacman said NASA will play an active role in helping Blue Origin, as well as other Artemis partners, overcome "setbacks, remove obstacles, and achieve the intended results.".
Blue Origin invested more than $1 billion to renovate the launch pad, which was completed in 2021 and returned to service for the first time since the 1960s.