When Blue Origin’s rocket exploded on its Florida launch pad last week, it brought the launch capabilities of a chosen workhorse for NASA’s Moon Base missions to a complete halt.
No one was killed or hurt, but the accident destroyed the only launch pad designed to launch the rocket selected to kick off NASA’s Moon Base I mission to the lunar south pole. That mission was due to launch in a matter of months, as well as deliver a critical component of the Artemis III mission into low Earth orbit the following year.
Several questions remain unanswered as the month of May comes to an end, including how long it will take to rebuild the launch pad, what caused the rocket to blow up, and what kind of impact this would have on America’s moon ambitions….