Rocket Motor Explodes During Test at Anduril Mississippi Facility, No Injuries Reported

A rocket motor exploded during a test at an Anduril facility in McHenry, Mississippi, last Friday. The blast damaged the testing stand but caused no injuries. Anduril chief operating officer Matt Grimm said Tuesday that the company expects to resume testing within weeks.

He posted photos of smoldered equipment and stated that Anduril continues to build and test rocket motors weekly while the production facility remains on schedule. Wired reported that Anduril had planned to begin mass production of rocket motors on July 1, 2025. Four people familiar with the matter said the company has not started mass production as of one year later.

Two of those people said production may not begin for another year. The McHenry unit, acquired through the 2023 purchase of Adranos, has faced repeated challenges. Wired reported in March on safety and technology issues at the site, including an employee burning his hand with an igniter and equipment that failed to perform as intended.

A 2021 fire partly caused by improper waste disposal melted the aluminum wall of one building. Rebuilding the test stand could take up to a couple of months, one person familiar with operations said. Anduril is searching for a new head of production in McHenry for at least the second time in a year.