On the evening of Thursday, May 28, 2026, a fiery explosion lit up the sky over Florida’s Kennedy Space Center when Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket detonated during a routine engine test around 9:00 PM local time.

Standing 98 meters tall, the New Glenn was set to launch 48 satellites for Amazon’s ambitious low Earth orbit broadband network, Project Kuiper, starting June 4. This explosion delivers a significant setback to Blue Origin and Amazon’s efforts to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service in the global satellite internet market.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, reassured the public via X (formerly Twitter): “All personnel are accounted for and safe. A very tough day, but we will rebuild whatever is necessary and fly again. It’s worth it.”

However, the blast severely damaged Launch Complex 36 (LC-36), the only launch pad in the world built specifically for the New Glenn rocket. Dramatic footage shows one of the pad’s lightning protection towers collapsing after the explosion.

With LC-36 out of commission, Blue Origin faces months of repairs and recertification before it can resume launching its largest rocket. This delay raises questions about the company’s ability to meet its NASA contracts for astronaut missions and lunar base development, as well as its role in the growing commercial space race.

For migrants and space enthusiasts alike, this incident highlights the high stakes and challenges behind the scenes of space exploration and the race to connect the world through satellite internet.