--- title: "New Glenn rocket exploded during static-fire test" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/tech/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/tech/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test" category: "Science & Tech" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-05T15:25:28.201Z" source_reported: "2026-09-05T07:18:37.000Z" updated: "2026-09-05T15:45:09.149Z" trust_score: 62 critic_score: 85 hype_score: 30 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-05T17:30:12.236233+00:00" --- # New Glenn rocket exploded during static-fire test *Infrasonic waves from the blast travelled 1,684 km across the US, study finds* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 62 of 100, higher is better. Trust 62: study cited and specific figures with sources, but no named individuals and only one outlet. - Craft 85 of 100, higher is better. Critic 85: explains relevance, gives precise data, outlines future use, but lacks direct quotes. - Hype 30 of 100, lower is better. Hype 30: headline is dramatic but article remains measured without exaggerated claims. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The New Glenn rocket exploded on 29 May 2026 during a static-fire test at Cape Canaveral, Florida. - Infrasonic waves from the explosion were detected by stations across the US, travelling up to 1,684 km. - The explosion's energy was estimated at 0.131 kilotons, comparable to the Chernobyl reactor blast, a study in The Seismic Record reported. The New Glenn rocket exploded during a static-fire test on 29 May 2026 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The blast sent debris and a mushroom cloud into the air. No one was injured in the incident, though thousands of local residents reported hearing a loud sound up to 217 km away. Infrasonic waves, sounds below the range of human hearing, were detected by stations across the United States following the explosion. These waves travelled up to approximately 1,684 km from the launch site. A study published in The Seismic Record used these infrasonic wave data to estimate the explosion's energy. The study estimated the explosion's energy at roughly 0.131 kilotons. This energy output is comparable to the initial blast that destroyed the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 1986. Researchers believe infrasound can be a valuable tool for tracking space vehicle accidents or other large explosions globally. ## Coverage comparison Science.focus.ua reported that the New Glenn rocket exploded during a static-fire test on 29 May 2026 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The outlet stated that infrasonic waves from the explosion spread across the US, travelling over 1,600 km. According to the study in The Seismic Record, the explosion's energy was estimated at approximately 0.131 kilotons, comparable to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant reactor blast. The report also noted that the likely cause of the explosion was a faulty oxygen valve in the propulsion system, as reported by Blue Origin in early August. It mentioned that the New Glenn rocket is 98 metres tall and has flown into space three times previously, in January and November 2025, and April 2026. ## What the coverage left out The science.focus.ua report did not mention the specific distance the infrasonic waves travelled, only stating it was over 1,600 km. It also did not specify the exact energy output in kilotons, referring to it as 'approximately 0.131 kilotons'. ## Who covered it Shares of the 2 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 100% (2) - Right: 0% (0) 4 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-05T17:30:12.236233+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 11 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-05T18:00:08.088Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - Both centre outlets led on the detection of low‑frequency sound waves traveling long distances from the New Glenn static‑fire explosion. Phys.org reported that researchers used infrasound signals to confirm time and location; Live Science’s digest noted that the waves reached as far as Texas. - Phys.org’s report quoted Sandia researchers Elizabeth Silber and Logan Scamfer, describing the yield as about 0.131 kilotons TNT‑equivalent and noting that only a few percent of the fuel’s chemical energy contributed to the blast. The article also referenced the use of infrasound for monitoring other energetic events. - Live Science’s digest highlighted a comparison between the New Glenn blast and the 1986 Chernobyl reactor explosion, without providing a specific yield figure or quoting any scientist. It did not mention the Sandia researchers, the infrasound network, or the detailed yield calculation found in Phys.org. ### Right No separate framing summary. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - unknown: 4 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [geoscienceworld.org](https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/tsr/article/6/3/348/734849/Infrasound-Detection-Geolocation-and-Yield) — Infrasound Detection, Geolocation, and Yield Estimate of the May 2026 Blue Origin New Glenn Static‐Fire Explosion - [دیجیاتو](https://digiato.com/astronomy/blue-origin-new-glenn-explosion-infrasound-waves) — As Terrifying as Chernobyl; Blue Origin Rocket Blast Wave Traveled 1,000 Miles Away - [Unknown](https://science.focus.ua/uk/nauka/766799-u-ssha-vibuhnula-raketa-blue-origin-ce-nagaduvalo-vibuh-chornobilskoji-aes-video) — Blue Origin Rocket Exploded in the United States: It Resembled the Explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant - [Live Science](https://livescience.com/space/space-exploration/blue-origin-rocket-explosion-sent-sound-waves-1-000-miles-across-the-us-report-finds) — Blue Origin rocket explosion sent sound waves 1,000 miles across the US, report finds - [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-09-blue-explosion-infrasound.html) — Blue Origin's New Glenn explosion shows infrasound can detect rocket accidents from up to 1,700 kilometers away - [seismosoc.org](https://seismosoc.org/news/blue-origin-explosion-detected-and-measured-with-infrasound-data) — Blue Origin Explosion Detected and Measured with Infrasound Data | Seismological Society of America ## Questions **When and where did the New Glenn rocket explode?** The New Glenn rocket exploded during a static-fire test on 29 May 2026 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The incident involved the rocket's lower stage and resulted in debris being thrown into the air. **How far did the infrasonic waves from the explosion travel?** Infrasonic waves, which are sounds below the range of human hearing, were detected across the United States. These waves travelled up to approximately 1,684 km from the site of the explosion. **How powerful was the New Glenn rocket explosion?** A study published in The Seismic Record estimated the explosion's energy at roughly 0.131 kilotons. This is comparable to the energy released by the initial blast that destroyed the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 1986. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/tech/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "New Glenn rocket exploded during static-fire test", https://mediabias.news/tech/new-glenn-rocket-exploded-during-static-fire-test