The explosion of a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket shook Florida like an earthquake

The New Glenn rocket’s explosion during a static fire test on May 28 sent a shock wave as far away as Clearwater, Florida, the USGS National Earthquake Information Center reported.

Meanwhile, assessments continued not only of the extensive damage to Blue Origin’s Cape Canaveral 36 launch complex, but also of what it could mean for NASA’s ambitious plans for a lunar base, which depended in part on Blue Origin.

A report from the USGS National Earthquake Information Center showed that three separate seismic stations, which are used to detect earthquakes, captured the May 28 event. The furthest station that detected what the USGS called an “accidental explosion” was east of Clearwater, 135 miles from Launch Complex 36.

Readings show that the accident generated a shock wave that shook the area on a 2.5-magnitude earthquake scale. The USGS points out that although seismic stations detected the event, this does not mean it is related to earthquake activity. This is because unlike an earthquake, the shock wave generated by the explosion was above ground. Therefore, it did not shake within the ground and cannot be officially classified as an earthquake.

“We have regained some access to Launch Complex 36 and are actively investigating the hot fire anomaly,” Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp wrote in a tweet on May 30. “We will start clearing the pad soon and have a good rebuilding plan.”

Over the weekend, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman arrived on site to meet with Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and Limb. The explosion occurred just days after NASA announced that Blue Origin plans to launch its first unmanned lander to support NASA’s lunar base later this year.

This static test launch was conducted to test the rocket’s engines and systems before the actual launch attempt, which was scheduled to come on June 4 carrying a constellation of Amazon Leo satellites. This would have been the company’s fourth launch of its New Glenn rocket. Instead, the rocket was lost in a flurry of fire, temporarily turning the sky over the Space Coast bright orange. The fire burned for hours afterward.

Blue Origin and NASA are assessing damage to the Cape Canaveral site

It’s not known when Blue Origin will be able to get the platform up and running again, or what impact this will have on NASA’s ambitious lunar base plans. Blue Origin plans to launch its first Mark 1 unmanned lunar lander aboard a New Glenn rocket by the end of the year to support NASA’s lunar base.

“We have said for months at NASA that we will not sit idly by and wait for the capabilities needed to achieve the nation’s most pressing goals. We will take an active role alongside our partners, just as we did in the 1960s, to overcome setbacks, remove obstacles, and achieve desired results,” Isaacman wrote on X.

Blue Origin has also been tapped alongside SpaceX to launch a lunar lander intended for future Artemis missions. The Artemis III mission, planned for 2027, calls for docking of either Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 or SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft with the Orion spacecraft in Earth orbit, a capability test before a planned lunar landing in 2028.

“NASA is committed to helping the Blue Team recover, continuing development of the lunar lander, and returning New Glenn to launch as soon as safely possible,” Isaacman wrote.

The company’s Never Tell Me the Odds first stage booster was stored in a facility near the launch pad, which recorded landings during New Glenn’s second and third flights. This was a major achievement for Blue Origin, which, like SpaceX, is seeking to reuse its rocket boosters. While many fear the historic booster may have been damaged, Lemp said it appears to be in good condition after an initial inspection.

Blue Origin also has several first and second stages at its Merritt Island facility on Space Commerce Way/SR 321. The real hurdle is how quickly Blue Origin can rebuild its launch site, which is estimated to cost more than $1 billion.

In addition to launching NASA missions and the Amazon Leo Internet satellites, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has also secured important national security contracts. The mission order was granted just hours before the accident.

“This anomaly is a solemn reminder that the critical capability provided by this community is rocket science and inherently challenging,” US Space Force Colonel Eric Zarebinski said in a press release. “The National Security Space Launch Program will continue to work closely with our partners at Blue Origin to help determine the root cause and implement corrective actions.”

Be sure to follow the FLORIA TODAY Space team for the latest updates from Cape Canaveral.

Brooke Edwards is a satellite correspondent for Florida Today. Contact her at [email protected] or X: @brookeofstars.

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