The First Images of Pad LC-36A After the Explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket During a Test

Last night a serious incident occurred (without injuries or casualties) due to the explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. The heavy-lift vehicle was on pad LC-36A of Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for a static fire in preparation for the upcoming launch of mission NG-4, also known as LG-01 or Leo New Glenn 1, which was supposed to place satellites in orbit for the Amazon Leo constellation.

Image from the launch pad after the explosion — Nick Johnson (@NickJohnson315) May 29, 2026

As we know, the New Glenn rocket, with its first stage called "No It's Necessary," has been completely destroyed. Initial reports suggest the problem may be linked to the central BE-4 engine, but we will need to wait for additional official information before drawing conclusions. If the issue related to the BE-4 engines is confirmed, ULA and the Vulcan Centaur rocket (currently awaiting the "go-ahead" from the FAA after a problem with an SRB nozzle during a launch) could also face further delays pending clarifications. This incident, while fortunately without casualties, has nonetheless caused quite a stir and could particularly slow down the U.S. "race to the Moon" against China and, more broadly, the Artemis program.

Blue Origin had indeed intended to use New Glenn to launch the lunar lander Blue Moon MK1 for an initial test mission in 2026 and a second mission in early 2027. Next year, the MK2 version, dedicated to crewed missions, could have flown with Artemis III to conduct tests in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Jared Isaacman (NASA Administrator) stated, "NASA is aware of the anomaly that occurred this evening at Launch Complex 36, which involved Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Space flights do not forgive, and developing new heavy-lift launch capabilities is extraordinarily difficult. We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation into this anomaly, assess the impacts on near-term missions, and return to launching rockets. We will provide information on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs as soon as it becomes available."

The First Images from Blue Origin's New Glenn Launch Pad

As we mentioned, there is still no precise information on the actual causes of the incident involving the vehicle. In the meantime, with the arrival of dawn, it was possible to obtain the first images of pad LC-36A at Launch Complex 36. As was already hinted at from the first videos, one of the lightning protection towers has been destroyed and now lies near the concrete structures.

Damage to the refueling tower and support structure

The metal structure (transporter-erector) that allows for the transport and vertical positioning of New Glenn has also been substantially destroyed and is unlikely to be repairable. What was initially unclear and now seems more evident is that the lateral metal tower supporting the rocket's refueling has also sustained severe damage that could lead to its complete removal and reconstruction.

Blue Origin currently has no other active launch facilities. A pad will be built at LC-36B while another is planned at Vandenberg Air Force Base (California). However, both are only at the initial construction stage and thus will not be operational quickly. Some initial estimates indicate a timeframe of about 15 months to restore LC-36A to operational status while the company could expedite work on LC-36B to have two pads ready in the future.

Some damaged structures nearby

The propellant tanks located near the explosion site of the New Glenn rocket appear to be only partially damaged based on images and could thus be only inspected and partially replaced. The condition of the reinforced concrete structure of the flame deflector remains uncertain, as does the condition of the hardware inside the nearby facility where the first stage "Never Tell Me The Odds" was being restored. Some reports suggest that the pressure wave may have damaged the structure on the side not visible in the images and potentially caused damage to the internal hardware.