Blue Origin’s New Glenn Explosion Comes During Major Manufacturing Push

• Blue Origin‘s orbital New Glenn rocket exploded during a hot-fire test at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral on May 29, setting back the company’s launch ambitions at a time...

Blue Origin‘s orbital New Glenn rocket exploded during a hot-fire test at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral on May 29, setting back the company’s launch ambitions at a time when it is investing heavily to expand its manufacturing footprint. Videos shared online showed a large fireball and thick smoke rising above the launch complex. No injuries were reported, though the explosion may have damaged parts of the launch facility. The incident occurred just days after Blue Origin announced plans to spend approximately $600 million on a major expansion near Florida’s Space Coast. The project will add more than 800,000 square feet of manufacturing and logistics space and create hundreds of jobs as the company works to increase production of its New Glenn launch vehicle. The setback also comes