CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.- The SpaceX rocket exploded Thursday morning at the SpaceX launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
According to NASA, SpaceX was conducting a test firing of its unmanned rocket when the explosion occurred. The test was considered a routine test and was conducted in advance of a planned Saturday launch. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to launch the AMOS-6 satellite at 3 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
SpaceX has used its Falcon-9 rocket to run supplies to the International Space Station.
The Launch Complex 40 site filled with a cloud of dark smoke raising up into the overcast sky. Building several miles away felt the shake from the blast, and multiple explosions continued to go off for several minutes.
There are no additional details at this time, but sirens could be heard in the aftermath. It is still unclear the cause of the blast and it is not known if anyone was hurt from the explosion. It is standard procedure fro a wet dress rehearsal to clear the pad of personnel.
According to Brevard County, there is “no threat” to the general public from the launch site’s explosion.
The SpaceX program is part of NASA’s commericial resupply. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) can expect supplies from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. About a month ago the CRS-9 Mission supplied astronauts at the ISS with almost 5,000 pounds of new hardware and experiments in two days after the liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket.
The SpaceX mission brings crucial cargo to space. In July SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft launched with supplies for astronauts to perform the first-ever DNA sequencing in space. This mission was the company’s ninth cargo flight to the station in a significant event.
News Talk Florida will continue to follow this developing story as more information becomes available as to what went wrong in this mornings test run.
