Insiders: New Glenn launch pad 'almost completely destroyed', Blue Origin launches may be suspended for at least 6 months

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The static fire test explosion on May 28 left Launch Complex 36’s launch pad “almost completely destroyed,” Reuters reported, citing Blue Origin and industry insiders. Engineers estimate the accident will cause at least a six-month launch hiatus, with the actual timeline likely longer. This disruption will directly impact Amazon’s Leo broadband satellite constellation launch plans and further cement SpaceX’s dominance in the commercial heavy-lift launch vehicle market. Antoine Grenier, a partner at consulting firm Analysys Mason, noted that after SpaceX’s Falcon 9 exploded on the launch pad in 2016, it took over a year to complete facility repairs, but the company was able to resume launches within four and a half months thanks to a second launch pad. Blue Origin currently has only one launch facility at Cape Canaveral, making it unlikely to match that recovery time.

Phoenix New Media Technology