Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes during ground test, setback for Bezos
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin saw its New Glenn rocket explode on the Florida launch pad during a static-fire test, a major setback as the company tries to close the gap with SpaceX. Blue Origin said no one was injured and an investigation has begun.
CNBC Top NewsPer CNBC reporting, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket erupted into a fireball on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida during a static-fire engine test. Live-stream footage captured a large explosion at the pad and a towering plume of smoke rising over the coast. Blue Origin said no personnel were harmed by the anomaly and that an investigation was immediately under way.
The incident raises additional questions because New Glenn is the vehicle expected to carry the Blue Moon lunar lander, a critical component of NASA's Artemis programme. Bezos's company had in recent months accelerated the New Glenn schedule to narrow the gap with Elon Musk's SpaceX. Wall Street analysts say the setback could weigh on pre-IPO valuation discussions and on competition for federal defence contracts in the coming months.
The US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it has opened a mishap investigation, and that further pad tests will be paused until findings are issued. Initial NASA comments noted that partnership commitments remain in place but the technical report must be reviewed. This article reports facts as published; it does not constitute investment advice.
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