"New Glenn" rocket damaged the launch pad infrastructure during testing
The 36th launch complex at Cape Canaveral suffered significant damage during testing of the New Glenn rocket, when the vehicle tipped over. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Initial images from the scene show that the foundation of the rocket service tower has been severely cracked. Additionally, the lightning protection system and the specialized erector responsible for lifting and installing the rocket have been completely destroyed.
International news outlets reported on this unfortunate incident. According to specialists, the fuel delivery system and infrastructure in the complex have also sustained substantial damage.
In particular, if the water tower in the area has burned down, there is currently no precise information available about the condition of the gas discharge system. Blue Origin specialists are simultaneously assessing the extent of the material damage incurred.
The scale of the destruction is such that it could cause significant delays to planned future work at the site. Notably, Blue Origin had invested over a billion dollars to rebuild and equip this launch complex according to modern requirements.
Given that this complex is located approximately fourteen kilometers from the main rocket manufacturing facility, the incident represents a severe technical and organizational setback for the company. The tipping occurred during the night of May 28 at the test site in Florida, while engineers were checking the rocket’s power unit.
The powerful impact and tipping were clearly visible in live broadcast footage. Company leadership officially confirmed that an unexpected malfunction occurred during testing, but reassured that no personnel were injured as a result of the incident.
Company founder Jeff Bezos stated that a team of specialists is currently working to determine the causes of the tipping. It remains unclear how this failure will affect the scheduled dates for New Glenn’s first orbital flight.
However, it is expected that restoring from such extensive damage will take a considerable amount of time.
