New dramatic footage captured by nearby witnesses and live cameras shows the terrifying moment Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin New Glenn rocket erupted in a spectacular explosion during a static fire test Thursday night at Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The blast occurred around 9 p.m. ET as the company was conducting a hotfire test of the massive first stage with its seven BE-4 engines.
A huge fireball lit up the night sky, with the explosion reportedly heard up to 15 miles away and the fiery spectacle allegedly visible from as far away as the Orlando area.
Videos of the incident quickly spread across social media as stunned observers watched the fiery plume rise above Florida’s Space Coast.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn just blew up at LC-36 while attempting to Static Fire ahead of NG-4.https://t.co/tANS0dWyIHpic.twitter.com/PztxFoBqIw
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight)May 29, 2026
This angle is even crazierhttps://t.co/bDUuiafnTgpic.twitter.com/LuLG3frNw2
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt)May 29, 2026
Blue Origin acknowledged the incident in a brief statement posted on X.
“We experienced an anomaly during today’s hotfire test. All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more.”
Source: The Gateway Pundit
