Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin reported on Thursday that it encountered a malfunction during engine testing, with social media footage capturing their New Glenn rocket bursting into flames in a dramatic explosion.
The incident occurred during what’s known as a hot-fire test, a procedure where rocket engines are ignited while the vehicle remains secured to the ground.
“All personnel are accounted for,” Blue Origin stated in a post on X.
The company has invested billions of dollars over approximately ten years creating New Glenn, a towering rocket standing 29 stories tall featuring a reusable first stage designed to rival SpaceX’s Falcon fleet and its more advanced Starship.
The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
