STORY: :: An uncrewed Blue Origin rocket explodes on the launchpad 

:: No audio

:: Cape Canaveral, Florida / May 28, 2026

:: The blast comes two days after Blue Origin won a $188 million NASA contract to land rovers on the moon

Video posted by NASASpaceflight, which livestreams launches from Florida, showed the towering New Glenn rocket igniting on the pad at about 2100 ET (0100 GMT on Friday) before erupting into a massive fireball that billowed skyward, sending a towering plume of flames and smoke into the air.

Blue Origin was preparing the rocket for its fourth launch, which was due to deliver 48 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit, part of efforts to build a broadband constellation to rival Musk's Starlink network. Amazon Leo satellites were not integrated on the rocket at the time of the incident, a source familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named due to its sensitivity.

The explosion marks the latest setback for the long-delayed New Glenn, which is supposed to play a central role in delivering lunar landers and cargo under NASA's Artemis lunar exploration missions.

Blue Origin confirmed it had experienced an "anomaly" during a hot-fire test, where a rocket engine is fired up while anchored to the ground.

"Very rough day, but we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It's worth it," Bezos said in a post on X, adding that it was too early to know the root cause.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency would work with Blue Origin to support an investigation of the incident.