A rocket New Glenn of Blue Origin exploded during fueling test on May 28 on Complexo of Lançamento 36, on Estação of Força Espacial of Cabo Canaveral, on Flórida. The incident completely destroyed the vehicle and caused extensive damage to ground infrastructure. Ninguém was injured. Imagens satellite footage captured days later reveals the extent of the destruction, with charred areas visible around the platform.
The company was carrying out the fueling test in preparation for New Glenn’s fourth mission. The event took place at night and generated a large fireball. Blue Origin confirmed the total loss of the rocket and the impact on the only platform capable of launching a vehicle of this size.
Danos detected by satellites from space
Imagens from Planet Labs’s SkySat-C9 satellite, processed by SpaceFromSpace, shows a blackened tower and scattered debris. The vegetation around the platform, about a mile in diameter, appears burned in several directions.
The launch structure suffered damage to the tower, flame pit and support systems. Complexo of Lançamento 36 belongs to Estação of Força Espacial of Cabo Canaveral and is leased by Blue Origin.
- The main tower shows marks of intense charring
- Charred Vegetação stretches hundreds of meters
- Infraestrutura of ground and fire trenches record visible damage
- Sistemas launch support has been significantly affected
Blue Origin initiates platform recovery plan
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp reported that the company will begin cleaning the area soon and already has a reconstruction plan. Ele visited the site with founder Jeff Bezos and Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman on May 30th.
Bezos reinforced the company’s commitment to moving forward. Blue Origin has not yet released an estimated timeframe for complete repairs.
Impacto in contracts with Nasa for Artemis
New Glenn is part of the American space agency’s plans to return astronauts to Lua. Blue Origin develops the Blue Moon lander, one of two vehicles contracted by Nasa alongside SpaceX’s Starship.
The explosion is expected to postpone the unmanned payload launch of Blue Moon Mark 1, scheduled for autumn this year. Isso also affects preparation for Artemis 3 and certification of the crew-carrying vehicle in Artemis 4.
Nasa pledged full support in the investigation. The incident is reminiscent of other historical cases, such as the explosion of an Antares in 2014 and an Falcon 9 in 2016, which required months or years to recover the platforms.
Consequências for project Amazon Leo
The destroyed rocket would have carried satellites for Amazon’s Leo internet constellation. Blue Origin planned to launch the first batch in June. The platform delay affects the schedule of the network designed to compete with Starlink.
The company is still evaluating the total impact on certification deadlines and future operations.
Histórico testing and next steps for Blue Origin
The New Glenn is the main heavy vehicle of the Blue Origin. The May 28 test involved all seven BE-4 engines. The investigation into the cause of the anomaly remains ongoing.
The company plans to recover as much of the infrastructure as possible before defining the return to flight schedule. Especialistas from the sector highlight that this type of setback is part of the development of large systems.