A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was captured exploding on its pad during a test on Thursday September 1, 2016, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The scene which left no one injured was described by witnesses who reported seeing a fireball, feeling shock waves in buildings several miles away at Kennedy Space Center and seeing a plume of smoke rising from Launch Complex 40 just after 9 a.m and hearing multiple explosions.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said around 1 p.m. that an issue came up while the rocket was being fueled for a testing of its main engines, part of preparations for a planned early Saturday launch of a commercial communications satellite in which Facebook had a stake.
From his tweet, Musk said on Twitter. “Originated around upper stage oxygen tank,” he further tweeted, “Cause still unknown. More soon.”
Its said Facebook planned to use some of the satellite’s capacity to expand its Internet.org initiative in Africa. CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg was in Africa promoting the satellite’s benefits ahead of the upcoming launch.
Responding to the situation, Mark said in a post on his Facebook page.
That failure was attributed to a broken strut that caused the upper-stage oxidizer tank to rupture, resulting in the rocket breaking apart.
SpaceX returned the Falcon 9 to flight six months later, and had completed nine successful launches since December, including eight by an upgraded, more powerful version of the rocket.
The company has made headlines during that period for landing six Falcon boosters, part of Musk’s effort to develop reusable rockets.
While the cause of the latest mishap is unknown, it almost certainly will result in months of delays to a SpaceX launch schedule that was already behind, causing consternation among its backlogged customers.
In addition to an investigation into any problems with the rocket, it was not immediately clear if the launch pad suffered significant damage.
See here for more on the story.
As an Amazon Associate, TechCity may earn a small commission if you shop these products.
Ailun Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 14 / iPhone 13 / iPhone 13 Pro [6.1 Inch] Display 3 Pack Tempered Glass, Case Friendly
$5.98 (as of April 16, 2024 06:59 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
OneOdio Wired Over Ear Headphones Studio Monitor & Mixing DJ Stereo Headsets with 50mm Neodymium Drivers and 1/4 to 3.5mm Jack for AMP Computer Recording Podcast Keyboard Guitar Laptop - Black
$27.41 (as of April 16, 2024 06:59 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Ailun 3 Pack Screen Protector for iPhone 15 Pro Max [6.7 inch] + 3 Pack Camera Lens Protector with Installation Frame,Sensor Protection,Dynamic Island Compatible,Case Friendly Tempered Glass Film
$6.90 (as of April 16, 2024 06:59 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
3-Pack [3.3FT+6.6FT+10FT] 60W USB C to USB C Cable, Type C to Type C Cable,Fast Charging Cable Compatible with iPhone 15/Plus/15 Pro/Pro Max，Samsung Galaxy S23 S22, iPad Pro, MacBook Air and More
$9.83 (as of April 16, 2024 06:59 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) Wireless Ear Buds, Bluetooth Headphones with Lightning Charging Case Included, Over 24 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup for iPhone
$89.00 (as of April 16, 2024 06:59 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Acer USB Hub 4 Ports, Multiple USB 3.0 Hub, USB A Splitter for Laptop with USB C Power Port, USB Extender for A Port Laptop, Windows, Linux, Acer PC and More (2ft)
$9.99 (as of April 16, 2024 07:20 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
TP-Link Deco AX3000 WiFi 6 Mesh System(Deco X55) - Covers up to 6500 Sq.Ft. , Replaces Wireless Router and Extender, 3 Gigabit ports per unit, supports Ethernet Backhaul (3-pack)
$169.99 (as of April 16, 2024 07:20 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
SightPro Magnetic Privacy Screen for MacBook Pro 13 Inch (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, M1, M2) Removable Laptop Privacy Filter Shield and Anti-Glare Protector
$29.99 (as of April 16, 2024 07:20 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
All-new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet, built for relaxation, 10.1" vibrant Full HD screen, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, latest model (2023 release), 32 GB, Black
$94.99 (as of April 16, 2024 07:20 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
