Blue Origin New Glenn rocket apparently explodes on launch pad in Florida

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Blue Origin New Glenn rocket apparently explodes at Cape Canaveral, Florida<br>Rick NealeFlorida Today

Updated May 28, 2026, 9:46 p.m. ET

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket apparently exploded on the pad during an engine "hotfire test" at Launch Complex 36 at roughly 9 p.m. at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<br>The huge 320-foot rocket was expected to soon launch 48 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. A target launch date had not been announced.

9:46 pm ETShare this update<br>Photos from Cocoa Beach show Blue Origin's Launch Complex 36 in flames<br>Rick Neale<br>FLORIDA TODAY Senior Photographer Malcolm Denemark shot these post-explosion photos of Launch Complex 36 from the beach at Eighth Street South in Cocoa Beach.

9:42 pm ETShare this update<br>Residents near Cape Canaveral call authorities to report sounds of explosion<br>J.D. Gallop<br>Residents across multiple jurisdictions south of the Cape called to report the sounds of an explosion. Cocoa Beach dispatchers took at least three calls, officials said.<br>Don Walker, spokesperson for Brevard County Emergency Management, said they were no calls for any evacuations or threats to the surrounding area.<br>“None of that is expected. There are no threats to the general public," Walker said.

9:35 pm ETShare this update<br>Brevard emergency officials: 'There is no threat to the general public'<br>Rick Neale<br>Brevard County Emergency Management officials just confirmed the Blue Origin static-fire-test anomaly.<br>"There is no threat to the general public," a tweet said.

9:32 pm ETShare this update<br>Blue Origin: 'All personnel have been accounted for'<br>Rick Neale<br>At 9:31 p.m., Blue Origin officials posted a brief statement on X:<br>"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more."

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