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At the Cape Canaveral space station, a rocket of Blue Origin, apparently fully refueled, has been destroyed in a huge explosion. This has shown live recordings of several media. Jeff Bezos' space company has now admitted an anomaly. Bezos himself has also spoken and added that all employees are covered and are safe. For information on the possible cause, it is too early, but the investigations would already proceed. It was a “very hard day” but you will rebuild everything and fly again: “It’s worth it.”

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According to Blue Origin, the explosion took place in a test that included ignition of the engines before the planned next start. According to US media reports, the actual start should take place at the earliest in the coming week. According to Blue Origin, the New Glenn rocket should send 48 satellites for Amazon's Leo constellation to space. The destruction of the rocket is now not only a great setback, with the New Glenn also wants to compete with SpaceX from Elon Musk. For years, the space company has dominated commercial space. Musk himself regretted the incident on his short news service X and Blue Origin wanted a quick recovery.

NASA also determines

The New Glenn has been developed for over ten years, and it can transport about 45 tonnes of payload to space. She is named after the US astronaut John Glenn. She completed her first successful start in January 2025, followed by two more. The explosion has now taken place when Blue Origin actually wanted to start significantly increasing the starting frequency to finally bring more satellites to space for Leo. But above all, other rockets are to be used for this, and the now exploding New Glenn should transport 48 satellites. Whether the explosion will delay the other start is still unclear.

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After the destruction of the rocket, NASA chief Jared Isaacman also spoke, the US space agency cooperating with Blue Origin in her lunar program. One knew the “anomaly” that took place at the start complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, he explained to X: “The space is merciless, and the development of new carrier capacities for heavy loads is extremely difficult,” it continues. You will work together with the partners on the investigation, evaluate the short-term effects and then restart rockets. Information on any impact on the Artemis and the Moon Programme will be made public as soon as they are available.