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A massive fireball and billowing clouds of smoke rise into the night sky during the explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 28, 2026.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 28, 2026. The company said no one was injured and all personnel were accounted for, but the rocket plays a crucial role in NASA's Artemis program to return American astronauts to the surface of the moon. Photo: PBS NewsHour

What's Next for Mission to Moon After Blue Origin Rocket Explosion?

June 2, 2026

What's Next for Mission to Moon After Blue Origin Rocket Explosion?

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad last week, and no one was hurt. But the blast could shake NASA's plans to put astronauts back on the moon. Here's what happened and what comes next for the Artemis mission.

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Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad during a test in Cape Canaveral on May 28. The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, said no one was injured and all personnel were accounted for. But the rocket has a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis program to return American astronauts to the surface of the moon. Amna Nawaz discussed its significance with science correspondent Miles O’Brien.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

Warm-Up Questions

  1. Who owns the company Blue Origin?
  2. Why did the New Glenn rocket experience problems?
  3. What is the purpose of the Artemis program?
  4. What other company contributing to the Artemis mission recently had a setback?
  5. How will the setbacks impact the Artemis program's future goals?

Essential Questions

  • Why do you think NASA is working with private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to carry out critical functions of its Artemis program?
  • What do you think might be the longterm benefits of the Artemis program and a permanent base on the moon? Who do you think would most benefit, and how?
  • Media literacy: What did you learn about the Artemis moon mission from this segment? What questions are you left with about the mission, and how do you think you could find out more?

What Students Can Do

Find out more about the Artemis mission by visiting the NASA website. First, start by examining the following graphic from the NASA website. Then, explore each mission within the larger Artemis project by clicking on each and reading more. As a class, discuss:

  • What is ultimately the goal of the Artemis mission?
  • What are some of the potential benefits of the mission? Which benefits do you think will be most important or have the biggest impact for people in the United States, or for our understanding of science?
  • Which aspects of the mission do you think might be the hardest to achieve?
A screenshot from the NASA website showing a mission timeline graphic titled "Missions." Five Artemis missions are listed vertically, each with its official mission patch logo on the left, the mission name in bold, and a brief description on the right. Artemis I launched in 2022 as the first in a series of increasingly complex missions. Artemis II is the first crewed flight, marking a key step toward long-term return to the Moon. Artemis III, scheduled for 2027, will test commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin in low Earth orbit. Artemis IV targets early 2028 for the first lunar landing, with the crew transferring from the Orion spacecraft to a commercial lunar lander. Artemis V, planned for late 2028 using the Space Launch System, will be the first lunar surface mission, with subsequent missions planned roughly once per year. Source: NASA.gov. 
Screenshot from the NASA website

Teachers: Are your students interested in designing spacecraft and other technology for space? Use the lesson plan Learn from NASA how to invent for any environment to better understand the special challenges of engineering for space exploration!

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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

PBS News Hour Classroom
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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