Blue Origin has yet to identify the cause of the New Glenn rocket explosion

Blue Origin, the space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is still searching for the cause of the New Glenn mega-rocket explosion that occurred last month. Although the company aims to resume flights by the end of this year, the exact root of the technical failure remains unknown. CEO Dave Limp issued an official statement on the matter, as reported by Techcrunch.com .

In his most detailed report, the head of Blue Origin noted that specialists are currently working to "identify and fix the root cause" of the explosion. Preliminary analysis suggests the issue originated in the tail section of the rocket's first stage. To investigate, the company is analyzing a massive volume of data collected from numerous cameras and sensors.

Test failure and damages incurred

After more than a decade of careful development, the New Glenn rocket made its maiden flight in January 2025. However, an unexpected explosion occurred during the fourth test flight on May 28. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, but the infrastructure sustained significant damage.

The explosion damaged the only launch pad located at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Specifically, the lightning protection tower and the massive transporter-erector device were completely destroyed. Nearby buildings were also damaged. Nevertheless, Dave Limp noted that the water towers and gas tanks remained intact.

Strategic changes and obligations to NASA

Resuming flights quickly is critical for Blue Origin, as the company is a key partner in NASA's program to return humanity to the Moon. The company's leadership has decided to change its technical approach to accelerate flights. Instead of a special transporter device, a massive crane will now be used to position the rocket on the pad.

According to Dave Limp, this method will not only allow for a faster resumption of flights but also increase the launch frequency of New Glenn in the future. Prior to the explosion, the company had planned to conduct 12 flights this year.

Currently, Blue Origin engineers are focused on addressing the aftermath of the explosion and re-evaluating the rocket's safety. This mega-rocket is seen as the main competitor to SpaceX's Starship project, and its success is crucial to the U.S. space exploration strategy.