
Internal memo from CEO Dave Limp pushes back return-to-flight timeline after May 2026 launchpad explosion
Blue Origin's next New Glenn launch is delayed to January 2027 after a May 2026 hot-test explosion damaged its Florida launchpad, according to an internal memo from CEO Dave Limp first reported by the Financial Times.
AI-generated summary
A New Glenn rocket exploded on its launchpad in May 2026 during a hot-test, causing notable damage to Blue Origin's infrastructure in Florida and delaying further activity.
Blue Origin made waves earlier this year after a New Glenn rocket exploded on its launchpad in May 2026. This issue during a hot-test caused notable damage to the company's infrastructure in Florida that has delayed it from further activity. Shortly after the incident, Blue Origin's CEO claimed that the repairs would be finished quickly and that the next launch would occur before the end of the year. According to an internal memo from CEO Dave Limp, however, that timeline has been pushed back. The next rocket launch is now not expected until January 2027. Financial Times first reported on this development.
The memo suggests that the launchpad's Vehicle Access Tower has been repaired and restacked, and the launch bridge has been restored. Limp credited weather issues for the fixes happening slower than hoped. "Your collective work on our return to flight has been nothing short of remarkable," he wrote. "In just six months, Team Blue has accomplished what many thought would take years."
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Blue Origin will conduct its next New Glenn launch in January 2027
Likely · Within months

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