June 1 (Reuters) - Damage to a Blue Origin launch pad from the spectacular explosion of the company's giant New Glenn rocket during a test firing of its engines last week will "take some serious time" to repair, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told CNBC on Monday.
A 2028 time frame was "within the realm" of possibility, he said in an interview at CNBC's CEO Council Summit, the network reported.
The powerful two-stage vehicle erupted in a colossal fireball while bolted to the launch tower on Thursday during what was supposed to have been a routine static "hot-fire" test in preparation for its fourth flight to orbit since January 2025.
The mishap came at a critical time for the Blue Origin rocket and Amazon satellite ventures of billionaire Jeff Bezos, who is seeking to compete on a more equal footing with Elon Musk's ******* eX, the world's leading private ******* e launch service.
Company and industry sources said over the weekend that the explosion had left the launch pad "practically destroyed" and in need of repairs that engineers expect will disrupt operations for at least six months.
A 2028 time frame was "within the realm" of possibility, he said in an interview at CNBC's CEO Council Summit, the network reported.
The powerful two-stage vehicle erupted in a colossal fireball while bolted to the launch tower on Thursday during what was supposed to have been a routine static "hot-fire" test in preparation for its fourth flight to orbit since January 2025.
The mishap came at a critical time for the Blue Origin rocket and Amazon satellite ventures of billionaire Jeff Bezos, who is seeking to compete on a more equal footing with Elon Musk's ******* eX, the world's leading private ******* e launch service.
Company and industry sources said over the weekend that the explosion had left the launch pad "practically destroyed" and in need of repairs that engineers expect will disrupt operations for at least six months.
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