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Explosion during static fire test
Thursday night brought a sudden and intense detonation from Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket while it underwent a static fire test. The blast generated a large fireball visible across parts of Florida and propelled fragments of the vehicle into the ocean as well as onto nearby coastal scrubland.
The incident occurred without prior public warning, leaving local observers to document the scale of the event through photographs and video shared on social media. No injuries have been reported, yet the visible destruction of hardware raised immediate questions about the condition of the test stand and surrounding facilities.
Damage assessment begins at sunrise
With daylight on Friday, personnel from Blue Origin, the U.S. Space Force, and NASA are scheduled to conduct a systematic review of the test site. Their work will include mapping the extent of structural damage, cataloging recovered components, and securing any hazardous materials left by the explosion.
Investigators are expected to collect debris both on land and in shallow coastal waters. The process is anticipated to take several days and will determine whether the failure originated in the engines, propellant systems, or ground support equipment.
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