Blue Origin’s uncrewed New Glenn rocket explodes during a hot-fire (static-fire) test on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to multiple outlets. The incident occurs Thursday evening as the company prepares the vehicle for its next planned mission. Videos and reports describe the rocket igniting on the pad and erupting into a large fireball. No injuries are reported; Blue Origin says all personnel are accounted for and safe. The company attributes the event to an “anomaly” and says it is working to determine the cause and provide updates as information becomes available.

The planned fourth flight is described as involving satellites, with one report citing an Amazon spokesperson indicating no payload satellites were on the rocket at the time of the explosion. Several outlets note the test and programme implications: the New Glenn is important to Blue Origin’s broader plans, including possible roles in NASA-related lunar efforts and delivering payloads connected to U.S. national security contracts.

The Federal Aviation Administration is reported to be aware of the failure and to have stated that there is no impact to air traffic, and that the specific test was not within the scope of FAA-licensed activities, directing further questions to the company.