New Glenn Explodes on Launchpad in Massive Setback For Blue Origin's Ambitions

In what could be one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever on US soil, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a ground test late Thursday evening. The rocket was completely obliterated in a giant fireball, causing extensive damage to the launchpad in the process. With only that one New Glenn launch facility and the rocket undoubtedly grounded for many months of investigation, this could completely derail Blue Origin's ambitions for lunar cargo and lander missions.

Blue Origin's New Glenn has been in development for over a decade and is classified as a heavy-lift vehicle, with two to three times the low Earth orbit (LEO) lift capacity of a SpaceX Falcon 9. It's not quite as big as Starship, but it's not far off, and though it's only flown three times, it's a key component of Blue Origin's lunar plans. Those may now have been completely derailed.

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