How much does the Blue Origin explosion hurt Artemis?

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]Let me give you a live look from our launch credit union camera along our space coast. A successful uh SpaceX launch just a little bit ago uh coming on the heels of a crazy explosion last night uh that we've been covering uh continuing to follow up on uh today with a New Glenn uh static fire. It was a it was a it was a hot test and went wrong.

[00:00:24]Uh and so we're continuing to track the fallout of that and what that means uh and what that means for our space industry here in Florida as well, which we know uh means uh has such a large economic uh impact and just a big impact on our region in a number of ways. And so joining us live now to talk about this, we are pleased to be joined by Rob Long, who is the uh CEO of Space Florida uh joining us live this morning. and uh Colonel Long, we appreciate you. Thanks uh so much for uh joining us this morning.

[00:00:58]>> Yeah, absolutely. Great great to be here.

[00:01:00]>> Uh so, first of all, I just want to get your uh reaction. Obviously, this is a tough thing to uh to see, to hear uh to be dealing with uh just your initial reaction to what happened last night uh along the Space Coast.

[00:01:14]>> Yeah, you know, you know, we're in a cutting edge industry here on the Space Coast and really statewide, but and so anomalies like this are going to happen.

[00:01:21]um they've happened before. Um but we have no doubt that the Blue Origin team will learn and rebuild with the same determination that's got them to this point. So it's a it's a pleasure to be a partner with them. Um and you know I think as you noted noted earlier uh the the launch this morning just represents the the spaceport continues to to do its thing and um support commercial industry, support national security, support human exploration. So it's it's all part of uh what we plan for and a strategic perspective, but more importantly, it speaks to kind of just the diverse diversity of the entire ecosystem that we can continue with a launch this morning moving forward together. I think something like this also goes to show just how hard going to space is and just how um you know you you can say it's a it's a routine uh test, it's a routine flight, but it just kind of I I think serves as a reminder just how um you know amazing what what you're doing or or trying to do every time something uh you know every time you you do a launch or a test. I mean this is uh an incredibly difficult thing.

[00:02:32]>> Absolutely. I mean our our success um as a state just generally in having the world's busiest spaceport does belly the fact that this is this is incredibly hard. It's incredibly technically technologically challenging and incredibly innovative. But this is exactly why people come to Florida. It's exactly why we're doing what we're doing. Um and it's exactly why we have such a vibrant industry here in the state. Is something like this a setback for the space industry in Florida?

[00:03:02]>> No, I don't see this as a setback at all. I think as I mentioned earlier, this is in in some cases this is what happens and and uh we plan for these kinds of things in a general sense and and I have no doubt uh Blue Origin and and everybody will continue to just um move forward and and learn and uh you know tackle the next uh challenge. when we, you know, you we mentioned the successful SpaceX launch uh this morning. Uh how important is it to see something like that uh uh go well, you know, just for the confidence uh that people in the area or in the industry have in uh these continued operations?

[00:03:38]How important is it to see something like that go well after something like that uh last night that very clearly did not?

[00:03:47]Yeah, I think you know a robust ecosystem like we have here across Florida really, but of course here on the Space Coast um really just speaks to that no single setback is going to uh slow things down and overall everybody's committed to making sure that that that we continue to move forward as an industry at large um really and nationally.

[00:04:06]>> Things are certainly changing um along the space coast with this ind with the space industry. We know it's getting a lot of attention uh right now with these uh national um you know priorities that have really put space in the spotlight and that has been a good thing for for many here um in Florida. Uh at the same time we've seen operations ramp up uh which is also a a good thing but has also raised some concerns among folks who live in the area live nearby uh you know these uh these launch pads especially after seeing something last night. So what is your uh message to uh to folks as we do see uh the the missions and operations and uh the industry continue to grow uh along Florida space coast?

[00:04:50]>> Well, I think as you even mentioned earlier, you know, this is this is a vital national security. It's vital to human exploration. It's vital to the country. Um and the great part is we have such a great relationship across the community and with industry and our other government partners um that we will continue to collaborate. We will we space for will continue to support those conversation to make sure everybody understands you know how the growth is continuing in a in a in a responsible manner and uh but as it the the launch this morning is just another um example and and hopefully again this evening that um you know we continue to do great things here in Florida and we'll continue to do that for for the foreseeable future. So what what is the kind of the next step for Space Florida in the aftermath of of something like this? Uh how are you uh kind of responding uh and uh and and dealing with things moving forward here?

[00:05:47]Yeah, I mean our role in in in situations like this or more more broadly is is really to make sure we understand what's industry's needs, what the ecosystem needs and and continue to support the ecosystem as it grows and invest in the infrastructure as necessary. Um and so we'll continue to to work very closely with Blue Origin as as wonderful partners um and support as as necessary.

[00:06:09]>> So what's the bottom line here? What do you want uh people to know as we continue to to follow up on this?

[00:06:14]Obviously, still a lot of questions about the actual incident uh itself. Uh but what do you want people to know about the space industry uh here in Florida after people see something like this? I mean, this is making international news today.

[00:06:32]>> Absolutely. I think, you know, what I would always remind is, you know, as we started off this conversation, what is what is going on here is not an easy task, but it's something that that happens really in no place else like here in Florida. And we're going to continue to to support that. We're going to continue to make sure that that the industry has the resources necessary um to really make sure that this gem um and the world's busiest spaceport continues to operate um to support not only Florida, not only the nation, but globally.

[00:07:03]>> Colonel Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida, thank you so much for your time. Thank you for joining us here on Fox 35 News Plus today.

[00:07:11]>> Absolutely. Nice.