A Blue Origin rocket owned by Jeff Bezos exploded in a fiery blast during a late-night test at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The incident occurred as the rocket was being prepared for a static fire test, causing a massive explosion visible from the base to the top of the spaceship. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, although the extent of the damage to the launchpad and equipment is still unclear.

Bezos described it as a challenging day but assured that all personnel were safe and efforts were underway to determine the cause of the explosion. The rocket, named New Glenn, was set for a mission on June 4, carrying internet satellites for the Amazon LEO constellation. The aerospace company will need to assess the project delays resulting from the mishap.

Elon Musk of SpaceX commented on the incident, acknowledging the difficulty of rocket technology. Blue Origin released a statement confirming the anomaly during the test and ensuring updates as investigations progress. The New Glenn rocket, standing at 321 feet tall, was scheduled to launch next week, aiming to deploy Amazon’s satellite constellation into orbit.

Named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is more robust than previous rockets by Blue Origin. NASA officials also addressed the explosion at the Kennedy Space Center, emphasizing the challenges of spaceflight development. Investigations are ongoing to determine the impact on future missions and programs, with information to be shared as it becomes available.