Blue Origin is working to restore New Glenn operations after a booster exploded during a static-fire test on 28 May 2026 at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, damaging launch infrastructure and pushing the restart schedule to NET 2026. The incident did not cause injuries, but it disrupted planning for the heavy-lift rocket’s next commercial and government missions.
New Glenn had reached at least three orbital missions before the accident, including NG-3 on 19 April 2026, showing the vehicle was in operational service before the test failure. Public launch manifests have since been revised, with several flights deferred into late 2026, including an Eutelsat mission. The recovery timeline now depends on Blue Origin’s ability to inspect, repair and requalify LC-36 after the booster loss and the damage to pad hardware, including a lightning tower.
The setback also affects Blue Origin’s wider manifest, including planned support for Blue Moon lunar missions and other commercial payloads.