Blue Origin Rocket Explosion Impact and Plans for Lunar Missions

Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA (AP) — Blue Origin announced that last week’s rocket explosion did not affect fuel tanks or other critical parts of the launch platform. The event involved the New Glenn rocket, crucial for NASA’s Artemis lunar program.

The explosion happened during an engine test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A lightning tower and the transporter-erector used for moving and lifting the rocket were destroyed, causing shockwaves across the state.

CEO Dave Limp stated that the methane, hydrogen, and oxygen tanks appear to be in good condition. The water tank is also unharmed, and the support tower remains intact, with potential onsite repairs. A booster and other parts stored nearby were not damaged. Overall, Limp described the situation as “kind of good news,” and added, “We will fly again before the end of this year.” The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

NASA awarded a contract worth hundreds of millions to Blue Origin, just two days before the accident. The agency chose New Glenn rockets to launch two lunar rovers ahead of the Artemis astronauts who will drive them. New Glenn is also needed to launch the company’s Blue Moon lander, meant for transporting astronauts to the lunar surface in upcoming years.

The Artemis program aims for a lunar landing of astronauts by 2028, the first since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized efforts to restore the platform while focusing on the lander. Isaacman stated, “We will do everything possible to get the platform operational ASAP.”

Named after John Glenn, the first American in orbit, New Glenn rockets have been launched only three times. They are smaller compared to SpaceX’s Starship, which is being tested for flights to the edge of space from Texas. NASA has ordered Starships alongside Blue Moon landers for delivering Artemis astronauts to the lunar surface in the coming years.

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This story was translated from English by an AP editor using AI translation tools.