ESA's Director General, Josef Aschbacher, expressed sadness and concern over the explosion of a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket during an engine test in Florida. Although no injuries were reported, the damage is significant and poses a setback for Blue Origin's competition with SpaceX. The incident raises questions about future lunar missions, including NASA's Artemis programme. Aschbacher emphasized the challenges of developing lunar infrastructure and ESA's ongoing cooperation with NASA, despite uncertainties regarding European astronaut involvement in upcoming missions.