Blue Origin rocket explodes on launchpad during ground test

The first stage of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, named ''Never Tell Me The Odds,'' returns to Port Canaveral, United States, on April 19, 2023. The booster is onboard the drone ship Jacklyn, where it landed after a successful launch. This marks the first time Blue Origin is reusing the same first stage. (Photo by Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded Thursday night during a hot-fire test at a Space Force launch facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , Blue Origin is working on reusable rockets and launch services to rival those offered by Elon Musk 's SpaceX. A hot-fire test is conducted on the ground with the rocket engines ignited, while the vehicle is secured to the launch pad. Bezos said in a post on social network X that all personnel were safe following the explosion. "All personnel are accounted for and safe. It's too early to know the root cause but we're already working to find it. Very rough day, but we'll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It's worth it." The Brevard County Emergency Management office described the incident in a public notice as an "anomaly" which posed "no threat to the general public." Musk also responded to the explosion on X , writing: "Most unfortunate. …