A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday evening [1].
The incident disrupts the deployment schedule for Amazon's Leo satellite network, a direct competitor to SpaceX's Starlink, and represents a significant setback for the Jeff Bezos-owned company.
The explosion occurred during an engine-firing test on May 28, 2026 [1, 2]. The blast created a massive fireball on Florida's Space Coast [2, 3]. Blue Origin said via company social media that all personnel have been accounted for [1].
The vehicle was being prepared for its fourth launch [4]. The third New Glenn rocket had launched last month [5]. This upcoming mission was slated to deploy a batch of 48 satellites for Amazon.com Inc.’s Leo network [1, 4].
BBC News said a rocket made by the company Blue Origin appears to have exploded on its launch pad in Florida during a test [2]. The failure happened during the critical preparation phase for the satellite deployment mission [4].
Investigators will now examine the cause of the engine-firing failure. The company has not yet provided a timeline for when the launch pad will be cleared or when the next New Glenn vehicle will be ready for testing.
“All personnel have been accounted for.”
This failure delays the expansion of Amazon's Leo network, potentially granting SpaceX a longer period of market dominance in the satellite internet sector. Because the explosion occurred during a ground test rather than during ascent, the investigation will focus on engine reliability and launch pad safety protocols.
