Key insights
- Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced a significant explosion during a hot-fire test, destroying the launchpad and delaying its mission to deploy Amazon satellites. While the company vows to rebuild, this incident represents a setback in its competition with SpaceX. However, industry experts suggest the broader space economy remains robust due to falling costs and increasing demand, with Blue Origin's setback being company-specific rather than sector-wide. The failure occurs shortly after a significant NASA contract award, potentially impacting its role in the Artemis program.
STORY: :: NASASpaceflight.comAn uncrewed rocket from space company Blue Origin was swallowed by a fireball on its Florida launchpad on Thursday.No one was hurt when the New Glenn rocket exploded during a hot-fire test – but it's a major blow to Jeff Bezos as he chases Elon Musk's SpaceX.:: Cape Canaveral, Florida / January 16, 2025The rocket was being prepped for a fourth launch, due to carry 48 Amazon broadband satellites to build a rival constellation to Musk's Starlink.:: NASASpaceflight.comBlue Origin called the failure an "anomaly." Meanwhile, SpaceX presses on with its own Starship rockets.So what's the next step for Blue Origin? Here's investor and former Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn:"They have destroyed their launch pad, which they've got to rebuild. They've got to find out exactly what the anomaly was and make sure it doesn't happen again. And they need to get a successful launch under their belt after this one. But they are capable of doing all of that.":: July 20, 2021Bezos has vowed to rebuild. But does the explosion set back the wider space sector? Whitehorn says no."The industry, I believe for the space economy as a whole, is in a Jevon's paradox now. The cost of the technology in terms of launching and the cost of the technologies you're putting into space has come down so much. There are literally thousands of new uses coming forward and new demand curves for space launch every day. // This setback is for the company and its ability to compete with Elon Musk. It's not a setback to the industry.”The stakes are high: just two days before the blast, NASA awarded Blue Origin a $188 million contract to land rovers on the moon, and its New Glenn rocket is meant to be central to the Artemis program.Both Musk and Bezos are racing to return people to the moon ahead of China's planned crewed mission in 2030.Blue Origin has poured billions of dollars and roughly a decade into New Glenn, built to rival SpaceX's Falcon fleet and its more powerful Starship.:: SpaceX handout:: May 22, 2026SpaceX has also seen recent failures.Its Starship exploded in testing last June, and last week a flight ended with its booster tumbling into the Gulf of Mexico.Musk reacted to Thursday's New Glenn explosion on X, saying "Most unfortunate. Rockets are hard."