Blue Origin launches its first New Glenn rocket from Pad 36 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 16, 2025. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Share this article 0 Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter An explosion on Florida's Space Coast last night lit up the sky more than 100 miles away.
During a test of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket in the evening hours on May 28, ahead of an upcoming mission to deliver a batch of Amazon Leo internet satellites to low Earth orbit, the launch vehicle experienced an anomaly that led to its complete loss and what is likely significant damage to the Launch Complex-36 (LC-36), at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos confirmed in a post on X that no one was hurt in the accident, and said, "It's too early to know the root cause but we're already working to find it. Very rough day, but we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It's worth it." Dozens of other posts to social media quickly spread views of the explosion seen from nearby Cocoa Beach all the way to Tampa, on Florida's west coast.
A flyover image taken this morning (May 29) of LC-36 gives an idea to the extent of damage sustained by the launchpad infrastructure.
First look at LC-36 from the air this morning after the explosion of New Glenn last night during a failed hotfire test.Visible is the wreckage from the destroyed TE as well as the fallen lightning tower. More to come soon.📸 - @LaunchHeavenX pic.twitter.com/zuSDDKIMLOMay 29, 2026
One X user, @leesteapleton, posted a video sent to him by a patron of Cocoa Beach restaurant Coconuts on the Beach, located about 11.5 miles (18.5 kilometers) from the launchpad.
pic.twitter.com/PPuoIMdTHTMay 29, 2026
Farther north near Jetty Park, a popular launch viewing location in Port Canaveral about 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometers) from LC-36, X user @JConcilus called the explosion "absolutely enormous."
This is my video of the explosion of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral's pad LC-36 a short time ago. Includes video & audio from roughly 5 miles away near Jetty Park. That was an absolutely enormous explosion! 🤯Note: Thankfully, Blue says all staff are OK. pic.twitter.com/YePg5OmXd8May 29, 2026
The incident was also captured in nearby waters off the shore. Instagram user @gofly2 saw the explosion while aboard a yacht on the way back into Port Canaveral.
A post shared by David Michael (@gofly2)
A photo posted by on
This Ring doorbell footage from @huntermanely, on X, caught the explosion lighting up the night sky as a delivery driver dropped off some food.
New Glenn explosion as seen from my Ring doorbell during my pizza delivery!! #blueorigin #newglenn @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/iQVmLepM6NMay 29, 2026
X user @ItsAlexQuinn, who happened to be in the sky at the time of the incident, posted a video from his airplane window seat while flying above Orlando, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the launchpad.
Video of the Aerial view of New Glenn exploding from Orlando Airport pic.twitter.com/WaYDFXYw1tMay 29, 2026
The glow from the New Glenn explosion was so bright, in fact, that it could be seen all the way on the opposite end of the state. X user @radiolassi shared a video from Tampa, FL, showing the sky illuminating in a bright flash from more than 100 miles away.
"120 miles away. That's the distance between Tampa and the New Glenn explosion in this video. Yet the blast was still visible across Florida's night sky. Moments like this remind you just how powerful modern rockets are," they said in their post.
120 miles away.That's the distance between Tampa and the New Glenn explosion in this video.Yet the blast was still visible across Florida's night sky.Moments like this remind you just how powerful modern rockets are. * *Would you have guessed this was filmed that far away?… pic.twitter.com/uljzxMQ6qvMay 29, 2026
Both Blue Origin and Space Force officials are instructing the public to report any debris that may wash up on nearby shores. "Debris from our recent hotfire anomaly may wash ashore in the coming days/weeks. If you encounter any debris, do not touch or approach it for your safety," Blue Origin said in a post on X.
People are urged to call Blue Origin's Wreckage Management Hotline if they should happen upon such debris, but also to call 911 if items pose "an immediate public safety hazard," Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, who oversee Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, said in their post, directing the public "not touch or attempt to recover suspected debris."
View MoreDo not touch or attempt to recover suspected debris. Report debris to the Blue Origin Wreckage Management Hotline: 321-222-4355 or [email protected] If the debris poses an immediate public safety hazard, call 911 and the hotline.May 29, 2026
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Josh DinnerStaff Writer, SpaceflightJosh Dinner is Space.com's Spaceflight Staff Writer. He is a writer and photographer with a passion for science and space exploration, and has been working the space beat since 2016. Josh has covered the evolution of NASA's commercial spaceflight partnerships and crewed missions from the Space Coast, NASA science missions and more. He also enjoys building 1:144-scale model rockets and spacecraft. Find some of Josh's launch photography on Instagram, and follow him on X, where he mostly posts in haiku.
