A family of two-stage, partially reusable rockets from Blue Origin
Blue Origin has lost a New Glenn rocket in a catastrophic engine test at Cape Canaveral, producing a fireball that damaged the LC‑36A pad and generated seismic waves. Jeff Bezos and CEO Dave Limp have said key propellant tanks and some hardware survived and the company has begun a pad rebuild, while NASA is offering technical support for Artemis-related schedules.
NASA has named Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas as the Artemis III crew for a mid‑2027, two‑week Earth‑orbit test flight to practice docking with prototype lunar landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX. The all‑male selection has drawn online criticism and questions about whether Blue Origin’s May New Glenn explosion will delay the program.
Amazon has reached a milestone with a satellite constellation of over 390 satellites, enabling initial Leo internet service later this year. The launch cadence faces delays from recent rocket setbacks, but the company plans broader coverage as more satellites go online.