'Anomaly': Blue Origin Rocket Explodes Moments Before Launch- Dramatic Footage Captures Fiery Blast At Cape Canaveral

New Delhi: A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket dramatically ​exploded on the launchpad during a test on Thursday, in a ‌setback for Jeff Bezos’ space venture as it seeks to narrow the gap with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Video posted by NASASpaceflight, a YouTube channel that livestreams launches from Florida, showed the ​New Glenn igniting on the pad at about 2100 ET (0200 GMT on Friday) ​before erupting into a massive fireball that billowed skyward, sending a ⁠towering plume of flames and smoke into the air.

Blue Origin said its New Glenn rocket exploded during an engine-firing test being conducted ahead of a satellite launch planned for next week. No one was hurt, according to officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Why the explosion

Blue Origin said it ​had experienced an “anomaly”, a term commonly used by rocket companies to describe a launch ​failure or explosion.

“We experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more,” the company said in a post on ​X. 

‘Root Cause…’: Bezos

A hot-fire test is where a rocket engine is fired up while anchored ​to the ground. In a separate X post, Bezos said it was "too early to know the ‌root ⁠cause" of the incident. 

"Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it," he said. 

Blue Origin said on Wednesday it was preparing the New Glenn rocket to launch 48 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth ​orbit, part of ​efforts to build ⁠a broadband constellation to rival Musk’s Starlink network. It did not provide a launch date.

Homes shook nearby

Homes shook in nearby Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach around 9 p.m., with residents turning to social media to wonder what happened. Launch Complex 36 is visible from the beach, and the internet quickly filled with photos of an orange fireball.

The rocket was supposed to blast off next week with internet satellites that are part of the Amazon Leo constellation in orbit. Emergency crews remained more than an hour after the explosion. Officials stressed there was no threat due to fumes or other potential hazards.

Space Force officials said the explosion would not affect upcoming launches by other companies from other pads. United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket is due to blast off Friday night with a batch of Amazon Leo satellites, the same kind that this rocket was supposed to take up.

All about New Glenn

Blue Origin has invested billions of dollars and nearly ten years into the New Glenn, a 29-story rocket featuring a reusable first stage designed to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon and Starship vehicles. 

Following the blast, Elon Musk commented on X, stating, “Most unfortunate. Rockets are hard.” The Federal Aviation Administration has yet to respond to requests for comment.The rocket was supposed to blast off next week with internet satellites that are part of the Amazon LEO constellation in orbit.

Towering at 321 feet (98 meters), New Glenn made its debut in 2025. It is named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, and is much bigger and more powerful than the New Shepard rockets that have carried tourists to the fringes of space from Texas.