Last week in Cape Canaveral, Florida, aerospace engineers were surprised with an unintended spectacle, as Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launch exploded on the launch pad in destructive fashion. The rocket was undergoing hot fire tests - where the rocket is ignited but restrained to the launch pad - before it unexpectedly erupted.

No personnel were harmed in the event, but the launch pad was extensively damaged and nearby buildings endured percussive damage, such as broken windows. Parts from the rocket and launch pad were found up to half a mile away. The cause of the blast remains unclear, although company officials, including billionaire owner and Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos, remain upbeat.

In recent days, there has been some hope, as many components, including the water tank, fuel tanks and a support gantry, were deemed recoverable. Blue Origin officials hope to fly again before the end of the year, although NASA said this particular Cape Canaveral launch pad will be out of commission until 2028. Company engineers just regained access to the site in recent days.

This is a big disruption to Blue Origin's launch schedule. Not only is Amazon's Leo, a planned Starlink competitor, dependent on their services, so is NASA's planned return to the moon.