{
  "id": 5625747,
  "title": "Blue Origin rocket explosion sent sound waves 1,000 miles across the US, report finds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/blue-origin-rocket-explosion-sent-sound-waves-1-000-miles-across-the",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-04T19:27:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/blue-origin-rocket-explosion-sent-sound-waves-1-000-miles-across-the-us-report-finds"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded on a Florida launchpad in May, sending shockwaves more than 1,000 miles across the United States, according to a new study. While the blast was too quiet for human ears, the infrasound waves produced provided researchers with valuable data on the magnitude of the event. The explosion, believed to be caused by a faulty oxygen valve, occurred during a static hotfire test just before the rocket's fourth planned launch. The blast, one of the most powerful prelaunch explosions ever recorded, damaged the launchpad and could delay NASA's plans for a moon base that relies on New Glenn for component launches. Despite the extensive damage, no one was injured by the shockwave. Researchers detected infrasound signals from at least 36 listening stations, with the farthest being in northeast Texas, about 1,046 miles from the launchpad. The study, published in The Seismic Record, estimated the explosion had the power of 0.131 kilotons of TNT, slightly higher than the Chornobyl nuclear reactor disaster in 1986. The researchers found that around 3% to 6% of the rocket's cryogenic propellant was consumed in the initial explosion, which is within the expected range. Infrasound, or ultra-low-frequency sound, is an underutilized tool for tracking large explosions globally, the researchers noted.",
  "summary": "When a New Glenn rocket blew apart at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in May, it released ultra-low-frequency sound waves that reached as far as Texas. Researchers estimate that the blast was roughly equivalent to the Chernobyl reactor explosion of 1986.",
  "key_points": [
    "Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded in Florida in May.",
    "Infrasound waves detected 1,046 miles away in Texas.",
    "Explosion power estimated at 0.131 kilotons of TNT."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}