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New Glenn Rocket Experiences Static Fire Explosion After Third Flight Anomaly; FAA Clears Resumption Before Pad Incident

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Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Static Fire Test

"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for."
— Blue Origin statement

On May 28, 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The incident occurred less than a week after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared the rocket to resume flights following a mishap investigation into a previous mission. No injuries were reported.

The Pad Explosion (May 28, 2026)

The Incident

At approximately 9 p.m. ET on May 28, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test. The test involved igniting the rocket's seven BE-4 engines while the vehicle was secured to the launch pad. Blue Origin described the event as an "anomaly."

  • Casualties and Safety: No injuries or fatalities were reported. All personnel were accounted for.
  • Physical Impact: The explosion caused extensive damage to Launch Complex 36. One lightning tower was reported down. Nearby residents in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach reported shaking homes. Emergency officials stated there was no threat from fumes or other hazards.
  • Regulatory Status: The FAA stated that the test was not within the scope of FAA-licensed activities and that there was no impact to air traffic.

Statements

  • Blue Origin: "We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more."
  • Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin founder): "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."
  • NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman: "Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult." He added that NASA will work with partners to support an investigation and assess near-term mission impacts on the Artemis and Moon Base programs.

Mission Context

The destroyed rocket was being prepared for the NG-4 mission, which was scheduled to launch as soon as June 4, 2026. The payload for this mission was approximately 48 satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband constellation. The satellites were not on board during the test.

Prior Mission Anomaly & Investigation (April 2026)

On April 19, 2026, Blue Origin launched its third New Glenn mission (NG-3) from LC-36 at 7:25 a.m. EDT. The launch followed a 40-minute hold.

Mission Outcome

  • First Stage: The first-stage booster, designated GS-1 and nicknamed "Never Tell Me the Odds," separated approximately 3.5 minutes after liftoff and landed on the drone ship "Jacklyn" in the Atlantic Ocean about six minutes later. This marked the second successful landing and the first reflight of a New Glenn booster.
  • Second Stage Anomaly: The second stage (GS2) experienced a problem during its second burn. Blue Origin stated the payload was placed into an "off-nominal orbit." AST SpaceMobile stated the satellite (BlueBird 7) was placed into an orbit "lower than planned" and that the altitude was too low for the satellite's onboard thruster technology to compensate. The satellite was de-orbited.

Investigation and Findings

The FAA classified the incident as a mishap and required an investigation before the rocket could fly again. Blue Origin led the investigation with FAA oversight.

  • Cause Identified: Blue Origin stated that prior to its second burn, the second stage "experienced an off-nominal thermal condition, and, as a result, one of the BE-3U engines didn't achieve full thrust to reach our target orbit." The FAA identified the direct cause as a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line, leading to a thrust anomaly.
  • Corrective Actions: Blue Origin identified nine corrective actions to prevent recurrence. The specifics were not publicly disclosed.
  • Return to Flight: The FAA approved the investigation report on May 22, 2026, clearing launches to resume.

Other Developments (2025-2026)

Successful Missions

  • Maiden Flight (January 2025): The New Glenn rocket reached orbit for the first time. The first stage did not achieve a successful landing.
  • NG-2 Mission (November 2025): New Glenn successfully launched NASA's ESCAPADE probes toward Mars and achieved the first successful landing of its first-stage booster on the drone ship "Jacklyn."
  • NG-3 Mission (April 19, 2026): The first reflight of a New Glenn booster. The first stage landed successfully, but the second stage failed to place the AST SpaceMobile satellite into the correct orbit.

Awards and Contracts

  • NASA Lunar Missions: Blue Origin holds a $3.4 billion contract for a crewed lunar lander (Blue Moon) as part of NASA's Artemis program. In May 2026, NASA also awarded Blue Origin a mission to launch a robotic lander to the lunar South Pole.
  • National Security: On May 28, 2026, the U.S. Space Force awarded Blue Origin a task order for a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) mission under the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 program, scheduled for between Q4 2027 and Q1 2028.
  • Testing Agreement: In July 2026, NASA and Blue Origin announced an agreement to conduct second-stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket on the B-2 test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, targeted to begin in fall 2026.

New Glenn Rocket Specifications

Height: Approximately 322 feet (98 meters)

  • First Stage: Seven BE-4 engines using liquid oxygen and liquid methane. Designed to be reusable, with a goal of flying at least 25 times. Each engine produces 640,000 pounds of thrust at sea level.
  • Second Stage: Two BE-3U engines using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, each generating 200,000 pounds of thrust in vacuum.

Payloads

AST SpaceMobile (BlueBird Satellites)

  • The NG-3 mission carried the BlueBird 7 satellite, a "Block 2" satellite with an antenna covering approximately 2,400 square feet (223 square meters).
  • AST SpaceMobile stated the satellite was fully insured.
  • AST SpaceMobile expects to deploy up to 60 "Block 2" BlueBird satellites and target approximately 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026.

Amazon Project Kuiper

  • Amazon holds an FCC license requiring deployment of half of its roughly 3,200 satellites by July 30, 2026. With approximately 230 satellites in orbit as of late May 2026, Amazon has requested a two-year extension.
  • Amazon stated that New Glenn accounts for approximately 25% of its over 100 booked launches and that four other rockets remain on its manifest.

Industry Context

Competition and Market

  • Blue Origin is the second company, after SpaceX, to successfully land an orbital-class rocket booster via vertical descent.
  • SpaceX is preparing for a potential public listing, with a target valuation above $2 trillion.
  • SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded to the May 28 explosion, writing: "Most unfortunate. Rockets are hard."

NASA Artemis Program

  • Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mk. 1 lander recently completed thermal vacuum testing and is being transported to Florida.
  • NASA's Artemis 3 mission plan has changed; it will now involve Orion spacecraft practicing rendezvous and docking with commercial lunar landers (Blue Origin's Blue Moon and SpaceX's Starship) in Earth orbit, targeting approximately mid-2027.
  • NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that information on impacts to Artemis and Moon Base programs from the explosion would be provided when available.