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SpaceX launch pad blast blow for NASA
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A massive explosion rocked a SpaceX launch pad in the United States yesterday during a routine rocket test for a planned weekend launch.
There were no injuries, but the rocket and the satellite onboard were destroyed, SpaceX said. The company was conducting a test firing of its unmanned Falcon rocket when the blast occurred shortly after 9am.
The test was in advance of a planned launch tomorrow from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is next to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It was supposed to hoist an Israeli communications satellite.
SpaceX said that in preparation for yesterday’s engine firing — a test carried out a few days before every launch — “there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload.” There were no additional details provided.
It is the same kind of SpaceX rocket used to launch space station supplies for NASA, and represented a major setback for the space agency’s plans for future cargo hauls and, ultimately, astronaut flights.
Buildings several miles away shook from the blast, and multiple explosions continued for several minutes. TV cameras showed smoke coming from the launch pad two hours later. The rocket was still standing, although the top third or so was clearly bent over.
The explosion occurred at Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force station, next door to Kennedy Space Center. NASA said Kennedy emergency staff was on standby. At the same time, personnel were monitoring the air for any toxic fumes. The Air Force stressed there was no threat to public safety in the surrounding communities.
The explosion is a major blow for SpaceX — and also for NASA, which relies on the company to keep the space station equipped.
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