Blue Origin, New Glenn Rocket
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NASA fired up an RS-25 engine for 600 seconds at the Stennis Space Center on Feb, 22, 2023. It was the "second in a 12-test series to demonstrate we are prepared to produce engines for Artemis V missions and beyond,
NASA has been conducting a series of hot fire tests to certify RS-25 engines for use on the Space Launch System rockets that will launch Artemis missions to the moon. The penultimate test in the series was conducted at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
During an evening test fire on May 28, 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded, engulfing the launchpad in a massive fireball. The spectacular fire, caught on video, not only destroyed the rocket but also appears to have significantly damaged Blue Origin’s only launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Jeff Bezos described the incident as a "very rough day" in a major setback for the company's space venture. Elon Musk said of the incident: "Rockets are hard."