Blue Origin's New Glenn explosion shows infrasound can detect rocket accidents from up to 1,700 kilometers away

In May 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced an accidental explosion during a static test fire. This event generated infrasound, low-frequency soundwaves below human hearing. Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories utilized these infrasound signals to independently verify the explosion's time and location, as well as estimate its yield, according to their findings published in The Seismic Record.

The study highlights the potential of infrasound analysis in monitoring launch anomalies and provides insights into the infrasound signals produced by liquid oxygen/liquid methane propellant, commonly used in heavy-lift space rockets. Most existing information on such large-scale events involving cryogenic fuels is limited, making this a rare opportunity for real-world data analysis.

The infrasound signals were detected by a network of 36 broadband microbarometers, some located up to 1,700 kilometers away from the blast site in Cape Canaveral. By back-projecting the data, the researchers confirmed the explosion's timing and location. The researchers also estimated the explosion's yield to be 0.131 kilotons TNT-equivalent, with approximately 3-4% of the full-load chemical energy converted into rapid blast energy.

This finding aligns with previous liquid propellant experiments and demonstrates the effectiveness of infrasound in detecting various impulsive events, including meteoroids, ocean waves, industrial accidents, and mining explosions.