Blue Origin chief executive Dave Limp said the company will launch its New Glenn rocket again before the end of 2026 after an explosion at its Florida site last week.
The explosion occurred during a static fire test on May 28 at launch complex LC-36A in Cape Canaveral. Limp wrote on X on June 1 that a preliminary survey showed the propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen and LNG tanks remained in good shape along with the water tower. The company will rebuild the site for the 7x2 variant of the rocket and shift to an alternative vertical launch concept. This approach eliminates the need to replace the transporter-erector damaged beyond repair in the incident. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the company on May 29 and expressed full support for the recovery effort. The US Space Force, which manages the Cape Canaveral range, is also expected to provide assistance. Limp did not detail the cause of the failure but noted the BE-4 engine has performed well on prior flights of New Glenn and the Vulcan rocket.
