Blue Origin vows to fly again before end of year after massive rocket explosion

Kent-based Blue Origin vows it will fly again before the end of 2026, less than a week after a massive explosion destroyed the company’s New Glenn rocket on the launch pad.

CEO Dave Limp shared the update Monday after getting a first look at the damage at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The company’s New Glenn rocket blew up May 28 during an engine-firing test ahead of a planned satellite launch.

Blue Origin initially described the incident simply as “an anomaly during today’s hotfire test,” adding that “all personnel have been accounted for.” The rocket itself was a total loss.

Despite that destruction, Limp said the early findings offered reason for optimism.

“The propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen, and LNG tanks are all in good shape,” Limp said. “This is good luck because these are very long lead items.”

Blue Origin explosion could impact NASA’s Artemis moon landing plans

The explosion carries consequences well beyond Blue Origin. New Glenn has launched only three times, and NASA is counting on the rocket to deliver lunar landers to the moon as part of its Artemis program. The agency is aiming for as early as 2028 for the first moon landing by astronauts since Apollo 17 in 1972.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman pledged the agency would “do all we can” to get the pad back in action, “while staying extremely focused on progressing the lander.”

Blue Origin has not named a specific date for the next flight, and the cause of the explosion remains under investigation. The company said it is “actively investigating the hotfire anomaly” and will begin clearing the pad and crafting a plan to rebuild.

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