Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket exploded during testing: video from the scene
29 May 10:11
In the U.S., Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, exploded during a test firing at the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Guardian reports this, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
A massive fire broke out on the launch pad after the explosion and burned for several hours.
What happened during the New Glenn tests
According to the publication, the explosion occurred during a scheduled engine test of the New Glenn rocket. The accident happened just a few seconds after the test began.
A large fire broke out at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A bright flash and fireball were visible from a considerable distance, and the shockwaves from the detonation were reportedly felt by residents along the Florida coast.
It took several hours to extinguish the fire following the explosion.
Blue Origin stated that there were no casualties
Blue Origin officially announced that no one was injured in the accident.
Jeff Bezos also confirmed that all employees are safe. He called the incident an “anomaly” and acknowledged that it was a “very difficult day” for the company.
Despite the absence of casualties, the accident was a serious blow to Blue Origin, which is trying to establish itself in the heavy-lift space launch segment and compete with SpaceX.
Musk reacted to the Blue Origin accident
SpaceX founder Elon Musk briefly commented on the New Glenn rocket explosion. He noted that “rockets are hard.”
This reaction came against the backdrop of a long-standing rivalry between Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Both companies are competing for major space contracts, particularly in NASA programs related to the Moon, Mars, and commercial launches.
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The accident could impact NASA’s lunar programs
The New Glenn explosion occurred shortly after NASA officially announced a contract with Blue Origin to launch the first of three missions as part of the construction of a future lunar base.
The total cost of the program is estimated at approximately $20 billion.
In addition, Blue Origin is actively competing with SpaceX for the right to build the landing module for the Artemis IV mission. This mission is set to be part of the program to return astronauts to the Moon’s surface for the first time since 1972.
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NASA will assess the consequences of the incident
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that following the accident, a thorough assessment of its impact on the schedule of future missions will be conducted.
According to him, building heavy-lift rockets is an extremely complex process in which mistakes can be very costly.
At this time, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has not yet announced whether it will launch an official investigation into the incident.
New Glenn has already experienced technical issues
This is not the first time the New Glenn program has faced technical difficulties. The rocket had previously been temporarily grounded due to issues following one of its earlier launches.
The new accident could once again call into question the timeline for further tests and commercial launches. This is particularly sensitive for Blue Origin, as the company is trying to close the gap with SpaceX in the orbital launch segment.
What is known about the New Glenn rocket
New Glenn is Blue Origin’s first heavy-lift rocket. Prior to this, the company was better known for its suborbital New Shepard rocket, which was used to fly space tourists.
New Glenn stands 98 meters tall. The rocket’s first stage is designed for reusability—up to 25 missions.
The rocket is capable of delivering over 45 tons of payload to low Earth orbit in a single flight.
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