Blue Origin revealed the reason why the rocket exploded on the launch pad

According to Dave Limp, Blue Origin CEO, the cause was confirmed after hardware recall and testing. "Many extensive component-level tests and engine burn tests have been conducted to better understand the mechanism leading to the failure, thereby finding solutions," he wrote on Twitter this week.

"We are making some minor adjustments to the valves and can quickly reinstall them for existing engines. We are also manufacturing upgrade hardware, expected to be ready later this month, and completing analysis of the remaining fault maps," Mr. Limp added.

Previously, on May 28, the New Glenn rocket exploded, creating a huge fire that engulfed and destroyed the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, Florida, just seconds after the firing test began. The incident turned the night sky bright orange, visible even from Fort Pierce, 185 kilometers south of the launch site.

NBC News said homes on Cape Canaveral and nearby Cocoa Beach also shook. Authorities warn people to stay away from debris that may wash ashore and to call the emergency number if they spot it. No deaths or injuries were recorded.

According to Reuters, Blue Origin spent billions of dollars and took about a decade to develop New Glenn, one of the largest rockets ever to fly into orbit. This vehicle is 98 m high, consists of two floors, of which the first floor is equipped with 7 BE-4 engines running on liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas (LNG), basically methane. This stage is designed to be reused, expected to be able to fly at least 25 times.

The rocket is named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. With the ability to carry 50 tons into low Earth orbit, it is nearly as powerful as SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and nearly twice as powerful as United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur rocket.

New Glenn first launched in January 2025, then made two more flights in November 2025 and April this year. However, the April launch had a problem when the rocket put AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 communications satellite into the wrong orbit.

Mr. Limp said Blue Origin will return New Glenn to service soon. However, the latest incident could affect Artemis, the program developed by NASA that aims to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon.

Initially, Blue Origin planned to launch a prototype lunar lander using the New Glenn rocket this fall, and another lander into Earth orbit next year to practice docking with the Artemis III crew carrier. Landing astronauts on the Moon in the Artemis IV mission is expected to take place as early as 2028, using Blue Origin or SpaceX landers, depending on which vehicle is ready first.

According to Professor John Logsdon, Director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, NASA sets very ambitious timelines for the Artemis program. "The new incident is certainly a major setback for the Artemis schedule, which is already very difficult to achieve," he told Time.