Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, is pressing ahead with its New Glenn mega-rocket despite the recent explosion that remains unsolved. CEO Dave Limp has penned his most detailed public statement yet, stating that they are still trying to identify and correct the root cause of the incident.
The explosion occurred during testing on May 28th this year, causing significant damage but fortunately no injuries. Blue Origin is now focusing on rebuilding its launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, given it’s their only facility capable of supporting the massive rocket. Limp praised the employees for making rapid progress.
The company has lost a lightning tower and the transporter-erector used to move and stand up New Glenn, as well as nearby buildings being damaged in the blast. However, they are optimistic, highlighting that key facilities like the water tower and gas tanks remain undamaged. Blue Origin plans to use a massive crane instead of the transporter-erector for future launches, which is expected to increase flight cadence.
With NASA’s moon mission priority, Blue Origin must not only determine what caused the explosion but also ensure New Glenn returns to flight as quickly as possible. The company had planned up to 12 launches this year before the incident.







